..."Of course, most people do turn their PCs off at night, and notebook PCs suspend automatically when left unused (or at least, good ones do)."...

I just want to point out that ALL PC systems including desktops not just laptops and certainly not just 'good ones' have the ability to suspend, either into standby (which stores the current system state in RAM for fast resuming and allows a small current to sustain the memory) or hybernation (which saves the current system state to the hard drive and cuts all power to the syatem) when you set the power settings correctly.

I mean this a polite as possible but perhaps it would be wise to check the accuracy of your own articals before pointing out flaws in other people's?