Talk:Screensaver

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Heinlein claim[edit]

While I don't dispute the characterization of the fish-tank-to-3d-television as being a "screensaver" I do dispute the text here that reads "Decades before the first computers utilizing this technology were invented, Robert A. Heinlein postulated that they would be needed in his novel Stranger In A Strange Land (1961).[1][2]" (emphasis added)

I don't see that. It looks to me as though Heinlein's fish tank "screen saver" mode was more like the current understanding of screen saver--not as a technology used to preserve color phosphors but simply as a useful "ilde mode" for your super-high tech device to be in while it's not doing anything super high-tech.

It would also have made a good scene in a movie--where we see the supposedly very normal 20th century (remember when the story was written) fish tank suddenly do something very futuristic that a fish tank can't do to remind us that "we're in the future now". PragmaticallyWyrd (talk) 17:43, 3 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]

History[edit]

I would like to dispute the claim that "The first screensaver was allegedly written for the original IBM PC by John Socha" - whilst he might have coined the term "screen saver" for this type of program, I found at least one earlier example for an "idling" program written by Li-Chen Wang for the Dazzler graphics card in Byte Magazine June 1976, Page 6+7.

Quote: "Another delightful application of the display is an "idling" program you'll probably want to leave in the computer system when you're not using it for another purpose. This program is Li-Chen Wang's colorful Kaleidoscope program. The program is surprisingly short, just 127 bytes long, yet it generates an unending sequence of captivating patterns." Source: https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1976-06/page/n7/mode/2up — Preceding unsigned comment added by Quasimondo (talk • contribs) 11:49, 17 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Security consderations[edit]

If there are security risks to screensavers, Microsoft Windows should put an end to screen savers. Also, they should limit screensavers to blank screen only anlong with password protection. --SuperDude 03:38, 11 May 2005 (UTC)[reply]

Or people could be more responsible in their downloading and don't download screensavers from disreputable places. Avengerx 12:00, 1 December 2005 (UTC)[reply]

See also: Dancing pigs --tyomitch 12:22, 1 December 2005 (UTC)[reply]

LCDs[edit]

"Flat panels are burn-in resistant because they use a fluorescent bulb or similar light source instead of an electron beam"

Burn-in "resistant"? Or burn-in proof? Is there any aspect of the LCD that can be damaged by staying on for a prolonged time or is only the flourescent tube involved? — Omegatron 00:01, 23 October 2005 (UTC)[reply]

Flat panels are NOT resistant

Plasmas still use phorhor, and they still suffer burn-in. Google around and one will find numerous plasma TV owners complain that TV DOGs causing burn in.

I used a laptop as portable TV before, and operate it continously for long time everyday. The TV viewing program don't offer fullscreen mode and I maximize the program instead. Eventually those "_ [] x" bottons on app's title bar burn-in on the screen; those areas shows permanant shades even nothing should be there at the time. Ya, so LCD does get burnt-in. dillee1

LCDs do not suffer permanent burn in. Read this stub for more --Theone3 13:43, 24 January 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Are LEDs different? [LED TVs Subject To Burn In?]. Samsung says yes. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 199.242.168.195 (talk) 18:51, 11 April 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Idle Time[edit]

Or whatever it is. I was reading this article, and noticed a strange sentence at the end of the 'entertainment' section, effectively plugging a particular screensaver. Looking into the edit history, it was added in 23:20, 29 August 2005 Andrewgorry, an edit which also added a link to the website to download this. I am removing this sentence as spam. If I'm wrong, people can read why here, add it back, and explain why.

The sentence was Taking this development a step further, Idle Time is an art project and screensaver that uses the screensaver medium as a form of cinema.

Thank you 09:24, 20 December 2005 (UTC) (Skittle)

Advertising in Wikipedia?

Why is the 2nd external link a link to a commercial screensaver for $10? Why to privilege this one above all other commercial screensavers?

There are plenty of freeware screensaver as alternative.

Because we weren't paying enough attention. This article's a magnet for link spam. —Bunchofgrapes (talk) 21:46, 24 February 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Common Misuse[edit]

Should a wiki reference misuse of a term or idea? I think so - but if enough misuse of a term happens, then the misuse can become the common understanding. In this case, I refer to the misuse of "screensaver" to mean "wallpaper." In the mobile phone world the word "screensaver" has become synonymous with the picture behind your icons on the menu. References: link Yahoo Reference

- "Download Photos as Screensavers"

I agree 100% I actually came to the page because I expected there to be some discussion in the article.

Same here. It is so pervasive that I actually expected the screensaver wiki to include a section on computer wallpaper.

Page is dull[edit]

For something as average and potentially interesting, this article is really very very dull. The history "section" is just a small paragraph, for example. No mention of some modern screen savers being graphic intensive pieces of software either, such as some of the amazingly "crafted" clocks and clock towers out there, in 3D. JayKeaton 19:00, 7 September 2006 (UTC) Then make it amazing. 69.136.72.16 (talk) 00:12, 7 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Uses in Businesses[edit]

Should the article have some mention of screen savers in businesses? Some companies have screen savers which are based on the company's logo. In a different area, I recently saw a screen saver that had several “slogans” to remind employees to keep a positive, customer-oriented attitude.

206.53.197.12 21:39, 11 October 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Url Removed[edit]

Hello,

why gets my website www.screensaver-download.info removed? It contains Screensavers like the Website which is linked. They are even free..

Is there something wrong with the Website?

bill

Nothing's wrong with your website, bill, but Wikipedia isn't a place for links to products like that. - JNighthawk 17:25, 15 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Proposed merger at 3d screensaver[edit]

Anybody mind if I merge some content from 3d screensaver? It probably doesn't warrant its own entry, but could add some material here. Wyatt Riot 20:18, 28 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Looks like this was done already, 3d screensaver redirects here now. Spot 20:19, 2 July 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Proposed topics[edit]

Some topics not covered: photo slideshow screen-savers. Spot 20:19, 2 July 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Saving screens by power-off instead of moving images[edit]

I can't prove it but I believe power-cycling older CRTs wouldn't have been a good idea because it stresses the transistors and other electronic parts if the screen isn't designed for it. Also it used to take a moment before a CRT reaches its full brightness. Furthermore, it was simply not possible to switch of screens in software. You could at best switch of the graphics output (though this wasn't really standardized and required low-level programming) or display black. In the 1990s PC screens started to support DPMS, which specifies different stand-by modes and power-off via software. For these screens it shouldn't be a problem but I suspect it might still reduce their life-time. I don't think "screensaver" is a misnomer per se. It is supposed to save the screen, not power or anything else and originally they full-filled this purpose quite well. Rather it's meaning has been heavily ever since this kind of software became entertainment and many people likely don't know its actual purpose in the first place. Also the term has been coined long before LCDs were widely used. Blame the people misusing the term and screensavers for hardware that doesn't need them. --217.87.104.59 (talk) 21:14, 12 December 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Pixel[edit]

Should we add

The dimensions for a screenshot depends on the display resolution and the settings of the computer, mostly it is 1024x768 px for rectangular monitors.

--77.4.52.241 (talk) 10:47, 30 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Screensaver note amend re:Apple Lisa[edit]

Edited out the erroneous statement that the Apple Lisa was "the very first graphical computer," 1983

There had been many "graphical computers", and although the term is vague and amorphous, the Xerox Star had been around for 10 years already. (no need to go into this further I hope.) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 60.241.116.152 (talk) 06:52, 5 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]

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"Modern monitors are not susceptible to [Burn-in] ?"[edit]

"Pretty much all OLED TVs [...] have built-in screen savers that pop up after extended idle time. You should also enable screen savers on connected devices like game consoles and streamers." https://www.cnet.com/news/oled-screen-burn-in-what-you-need-to-know/

And OLED monitors are more and more common... --BlueTemplar (talk) 15:27, 8 March 2019 (UTC)[reply]