iMAC & power strip?

[rgar98]

What's the best way to turn the computer (iMAC; Leopard), routers, , external HD's, etc. on/off?

What I'm asking is how should these devices be connected and used with the switched/unswitched outlets on a power strip?

Thanks,

Richard Garcia

[Sherman Homan]

Your iMac and any external hard drives should never be switched off without going through the shut down command (for the iMac) or unmounted (hard drives). Bad things like data loss and file corruption can happen. Network devices like routers, hubs, switches, can be switched off. But be careful there too, if you are doing something over a network like moving files.
If you are just interested in saving some electricity overnight when you aren't using the iMac, just go through the shut down on the iMac, then switch everything off.