2 See config.h for configuration parameters. To build, do the usual:
4 xmkmf ; make ; make install ; make install.man
6 The xscreensaver program waits until the keyboard and mouse have been idle
7 for a period, and then runs a graphics demo chosen at random. It turns off
8 as soon as there is any mouse or keyboard activity.
10 The purpose of xscreensaver is to display pretty pictures on your screen
11 when it is not in use, in keeping with the philosophy that unattended
12 monitors should always be doing something interesting, just like they do
15 However, xscreensaver can also be used as a screen locker, to prevent
16 others from using your terminal while your are away.
18 The benefit that this program has over the combination of the xlock and
19 xautolock programs is the ease with which new graphics hacks can be
20 installed: you don't need to recompile this program to add a new display
21 mode, you just change some resource settings. Any program which can be
22 invoked in such a way that it draws on the root window of the screen can
23 now be used as a screensaver without modification [*]. The programs that
24 are being run as screensavers don't need to have any special knowledge
25 about what it means to be a screensaver.
27 The XIdle extension will be used if you have it (win win.)
29 Unfortunately, locking doesn't work if you don't have Motif.
31 Also included are several graphics hacks for use as screensavers. There's
32 nothing magic about these: they're just programs that draw on the root
33 window, which are pointed at by the screensaver's default resource settings.
35 qix - My own implementation of this, with many more options
36 than you would have thought qix could have.
37 helix - Generates spirally "stringart" patterns.
38 rorschach - Random inkblot patterns.
39 attraction - A bouncing ball demo, or a qix-like demo, or a wild
40 color-cycling thing, with some odd rules.
41 greynetic - Random colored/stippled rectangles.
42 rocks - Flying through an asteroid field.
43 blitspin - Rotate a bitmap using bitblts.
44 imsmap - Generates random maps or cloud formations.
45 hypercube - 2d projection of a hypercube rotating on all four axes.
46 slidescreen - Divides the screen into a grid and plays a 16-puzzle on it.
47 halo - Random circular patterns.
48 pyro - Fireworks. Looks a lot like the version in xlock.
49 hopalong - Fractals. I snarfed this code from xlock.
50 noseguy - A guy with a big nose wanders around the screen saying
51 things. I snarfed this code from xnlock.
52 maze - This is the X maze demo modified to take a -root option
53 so that it works with xscreensaver.
55 All of these will pop up their own window unless given that -root option.
56 See their man pages for more details.
58 Other reasonable things to use as screensavers, if you have them, are
60 xdaliclock -root -builtin2 - melting digital clock
61 xswarm -r 2>&- - swimming sperm
62 xwave -root - random 3d graphs
63 xbouncebits - bounce arbitrary bitmaps around
64 ico -r - it's dull, but it's there
65 xv -root file.gif -quit - they don't all have to animate!
66 xsplinefun - bouncing splines
67 kaleid -root - qix-like kaleidescope patterns
68 xfishtank -c black -d -r 1 - fish (use version 2.0 or later)
70 You can get all of these from export.lcs.mit.edu. If you know of (or write)
71 any other interesting programs that can be used as screensavers, please let
74 -- Jamie Zawinski <jwz@lucid.com>
76 [*] It may be necessary to include "vroot.h" in the program, but that would
77 be necessary for it to work with virtual-root window managers anyway.