"RBM" rbm2(remove wrote in message
...
Things like computers "need" to be grounded

Not at all.

They work just fine, thank you, with a "floating" ground. Often, however,
where these is a ground provided there is a network which provides a small
leakage path between BOTH power conductors and the chassis (ground). The
effect of this network would be to cause the chassis get a voltage on the
order of 55 volts. There is no shock hazard and the leakage of even
several of these systems is not likely to trip a GFCI.

There is a lot of "tradition" here.

When IBM started making PCs they had a ground. When folks starting making
audio/visual stuff include stereos and TVs, there usually wasn't a ground.
But both classes of equipment have user exposure to the "chassis." In the
audio/visual stuff its from the "RCA" female connectors. In the PC world
it's the connector shell including the mouse, keyboard, USB stuff, printer
and serial interface.