A program originally intended to prevent burning a fixed image into your CRT monitor. Monochrome CRTs were prone to
burnout where the most commonly displayed image faded the screen phosphors. Colour screens are less susceptible.
Screensavers are artistic creations that kick in after a period of inactivity to generate a moving display, thus evenly
exercising the screen phosphors. They have the secondary function of hiding your screen contents when you are away from
your desk. The downside is such programs can take up considerable RAM and CPU and thus interfere with programs running
in the background.
Screensavers often come as *.scr files. Virus and trojan writers favour them since people are
generally aware they are just as dangerous as *.exe files. You can always uninstall simply by
deleting the corresponding *.scr file.
You can write platform-independent screensavers in Java using JDIC.
I tried
ScreenSavePlanet.com. It seems to be a
collection site for screensavers written by many different companies. It did not have any annoying adware, though there
were some screensavers in both free and pay versions. The animated waterfalls is intriquing. That is what I am using
personally. There is also a talking fish screensaver, though it was incompatible with my screen driver. Some are very
elaborate where you get to move the scenery, add fog and other effects.
Beware of
screensaver.com. To use the screensavers, you must
sign up for ad spam and install adware on your machine. The screensavers are
not free in the usual meaning of the
word, as claimed. You must agree to sign up for spam. You don’t find this out until after the screensaver is
installed. The uninstall does not work.
Beware of
screensaverS.com. They
install a toolbar in Internet Explorer without your permission. They also have some “free” screensavers that
are not free, but they don’t tell you up front. If they start asking for your name and email address, it won’t
be free.
by Roedy Green ©1996-2009 Canadian Mind Products
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