3 ms·

Ask HN: Why isn't screensaver use discouraged by operating system UIs?

2 points by amichail 2y ago

Why not encourage users to turn off the display instead of using a screensaver to save energy? Wouldn't that be better for the environment?

PaulHoule 2y ago
Isn't that usually what happens (display turns off after N minutes) in 2024? I remember doing work on a Sun SPARC workstation that was on a professor's desk that became terribly slow when the screensaver kicked in.
- amichail 2y ago
  Operating systems still provide screen savers and don't discourage their use.
  - talldayo 2y ago
    Because nobody capable of changing things cares. That is the reason. Is that what you wanted to hear? If energy savings were a priority over profitability then all our phones would ship with AdBlock preinstalled and we'd overall waste less time loading unwanted content onto our devices. But flashy self-promotion beats consumer sensibility any day of the week. Unless you legislate businesses into compliance, they will consistantly ignore the most ecologically respectful option in lieu of the more profitable one. Even when businesses do choose eco-friendly decisions it's almost always for tax breaks or carbon offsets that would prove more expensive than their subsidy. Money talks, Mother Earth just sits there gasping for air. Good thing we all voted for this with our wallets, eh?
frankjr 2y ago
Because turning on the display often takes a few seconds and includes graphics glitches (modeset). Turning off a screensaver is instantaneous.
solardev 2y ago
Don't modern operating systems turn off the screen after X period of inactivity by default? And the screensaver kicks in a bit before that? I may be wrong... But turning the screen off/on takes a few seconds and is annoying if it accidentally happens while you're reading or watching something. A screensaver is a good visual cue that can be easily reversed by shaking the mouse. Ultimately users can set them to whatever they want. What's the problem? There's always a trade-off between convenience and energy savings. Turning the display off still takes a few seconds, so does recovering from sleep or hibernation.

2 points by amichail 2y ago

Why not encourage users to turn off the display instead of using a screensaver to save energy? Wouldn't that be better for the environment?

PaulHoule 2y ago

Isn't that usually what happens (display turns off after N minutes) in 2024? I remember doing work on a Sun SPARC workstation that was on a professor's desk that became terribly slow when the screensaver kicked in.

amichail 2y ago
Operating systems still provide screen savers and don't discourage their use.
- talldayo 2y ago
  Because nobody capable of changing things cares. That is the reason. Is that what you wanted to hear? If energy savings were a priority over profitability then all our phones would ship with AdBlock preinstalled and we'd overall waste less time loading unwanted content onto our devices. But flashy self-promotion beats consumer sensibility any day of the week. Unless you legislate businesses into compliance, they will consistantly ignore the most ecologically respectful option in lieu of the more profitable one. Even when businesses do choose eco-friendly decisions it's almost always for tax breaks or carbon offsets that would prove more expensive than their subsidy. Money talks, Mother Earth just sits there gasping for air. Good thing we all voted for this with our wallets, eh?

frankjr 2y ago

Because turning on the display often takes a few seconds and includes graphics glitches (modeset). Turning off a screensaver is instantaneous.

solardev 2y ago

Don't modern operating systems turn off the screen after X period of inactivity by default? And the screensaver kicks in a bit before that? I may be wrong... But turning the screen off/on takes a few seconds and is annoying if it accidentally happens while you're reading or watching something. A screensaver is a good visual cue that can be easily reversed by shaking the mouse. Ultimately users can set them to whatever they want. What's the problem? There's always a trade-off between convenience and energy savings. Turning the display off still takes a few seconds, so does recovering from sleep or hibernation.