I didn't know what forum was appropriate for this question:

Is there a web site or an article anyone can link me to that discusses the cost of keeping a computer operating?

I remember, once upon a time, reading an article that stated that a corporation figures that the cost of keeping a computer up and running over it's lifetime is three times it's initial cost. However, I cannot find any trace of that article now.

Do you know of anything similar?

There was an article a while back of Google switching to AMD because the power cost far outstrip the cost of hardware.

That's the kind of thing I am looking for, but not just electricity costs, but maintainance costs, virus removal, etc.

Are thes any help?

http://www.cbronline.com/article_cbr.asp?g...6A-6ED710C96BD5

http://www-03.ibm.com/financing/pdf/us/RFG..._PC_Leasing.pdf

I would assume that the only cost needed to keep a computer operating would be the cost of electricity. A lot of virus/adware/malware eliminating programs are free now-adays, so they don't really add into the "ritual upkeep" of the system. However, there may be costs for hardware replacement or labor done on the computer....

So far, every computer i've had has been pretty cheap to maintain (counting out the cost of electricity). The only one i've had to spend money to repair was an e-machines we bought a few years back. We had to replace the harddrive, so that costs a little extra (too many partitionings )