Re: A Question
It may not be necessary to turn off at the mains but I do it anyway. There can be momentary power cuts during storms and I'm not sure that these short power interruptions are good for computers or other electronic equipment. They should be able to cope but there can always exceptions to the rule. Also, if a strike local on power lines occurs, there is the possibility of a power surge or spike. Surge protectors should work but I don't put complete faith in them. If the power does go out completely for a while, I don't turn the switches back on until the power is restored and stable.
I have seen the results strikes on houses. One hit a TV aerial and came down the cable. The co-ax was burnt to a frazzle along its entire length. The cable ran past the budgie cage and the budgie was killed. The charge blew the TV up, mostly around the aerial socket and tuner but other places on the PCB as well. It became an ex-television. Unplugging at the mains wouldn't have stopped this but unplugging the aerial might have. Then again, what a good job they weren't in the process of unplugging it when the strike happened.
Another strike incident I went to had picked up the carpet from around the edges of the room and heaped it into the middle. It was thought this was because of a tubular steel coffee table that was in the middle of the floor. The chrome plating on the tubular steel had gone the colour of a motorbike exhaust pipe. Other damage too ..including the TV of course, which is why I was there.
Maybe seeing those cases is what has made me a bit cautious. Perhaps unnecessarily but it doesn't make any difference to anyone else if I do it, so I think it's OK.