Q: I know a CRT is a computer monitor but I want to know what the exact words the CRT stand for? Plus, I also need to know if it's okay to leave your computer on all the time or is it better to shut it off. I know you save power by shutting it off but if I left it on all the time, does it hurt the computer in the long run by getting too hot or something?
A: CRT = Cathode Ray Tube, it's an old-style monitor (the heavy, long ones) that houses a gun in the back and shoots images from there onto the screen. Current models are often called "flat screens" because they aren't long in the back, but this is sometimes confusing because late model CRTs were sometimes called "flat screens" because the screens were flat (not bubbled out like earlier ones). It is fine to keep your computer on for long periods of time, however most Windows computers need a reboot now and then. Windows actually schedules maintenance in the middle of the night, which might never happen if you always turned it off before bed-- so you might argue it's better for the computer to leave it on. Assuming you leave it in an area that's at least moderately ventilated, not in a tightly closed cabinet or on a carpeted floor, you don't need to worry about overheating.