Bug#429270: gnome-desktop-environment: Please add xscreensaver alternative for gnome-screensaver dependency

[Josh Triplett]

Josselin Mouette wrote:
> Le samedi 16 juin 2007 à 11:01 -0700, Josh Triplett a écrit :
>> Just as gnome-desktop-environment depends on epiphany-browser |
>> gnome-www-browser, please change the dependency on gnome-screensaver to
>> gnome-screensaver | xscreensaver.  This will keep gnome-screensaver as the
>> default, while allowing users with xscreensaver installed to avoid installing
>> gnome-screensaver.
> 
> There is much difference between the epiphany/galeon case and
> gnome-screensaver vs. xscreensaver. Currently xscreensaver is not
> maintained and its GNOME integration is close to nothing.

I did nothing special to make xscreensaver work, and it seems to automatically
lock the screen after the configured time.  It also has a "new login" button
that integrates with gdm.  The "lock screen" button in my panel, available in
the "Add to Panel" dialog, locks the screen with xscreensaver.  It seems to me
like xscreensaver integrates just fine with GNOME.

>> gnome-screensaver still has a number of problems compared to xscreensaver.  In
>> particular it does not respect the standard screensaver mechanisms like
>> xscreensaver does; the gnome-screensaver developers seem to expect every
>> program that currently disables the screensaver to add additional code to try
>> the gnome-screensaver D-BUS interface.  
> 
> The could be said of Xscreensaver, which expects every program that
> disables the screensaver to use its X property hack.

You don't need an X property hack, to the best of my knowledge.  You can
just use the X screensaver extension to suspend the screensaver.  (Disclaimer:
not experienced with screensaver internals.)

> TTBOMK, totem
> doesn't support it anymore, which means the screensaver won't be
> deactivated while watching a movie.

It seems to work fine at the moment; the screensaver doesn't come on when I
watch a movie with totem, at least last time I checked.

> I also don't think xscreensaver and
> gnome-power-manager interact nicely.

I don't use gnome-power-manager, so I wouldn't know.  I assume you mean that
gnome-power-manager doesn't lock the screen when suspending if you use
xscreensaver?  If so, that seems like a deficiency in gnome-power-manager.
The GNOME "lock screen" button knows how to lock the screen with xscreensaver.

- Josh Triplett

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