Air conditioners don't "generate" cold. They take heat from inside and exhaust it to the outside. Because warm air can hold more moisture than cool air, the resulting lowered temperature also serves to reduce the total moisture (humidity) inside the room, so they end up dripping water outside as well. You need to put it in a window.

Probably a bit less noisy that way, too.

[This message has been edited by k2 (edited June 25, 2003).]

** Why can't you just put it in the middle of the room and cool the air? **

As k2 explained, air conditioners just moves heat from the front evaporator (cooling) coil to the rear condenser where the outdoor air can remove it altogether. Keeping both sides inside the room would be like trying to cool a swimming pool by taking hot water out of the deep end and dumping in into the shallow.

There is also the heat generated by the fan motor and compressor which would actually cause the room to get hotter than before.

JFYI

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site

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[This message has been edited by DanO (edited June 29, 2003).]