You know how it is. You're working on something complicated: papers all over your desk, numbers all over your screen. You're just about to look up and check the next set of figures on the screen when the screensaver kicks in.

The screensaver countdown would be a visual indication of when the screensaver is going to kick in. It could be a progress bar in an icon, a dimming of the corners of the screen, or a numerical display. Whatever method is used, it should give you time to wiggle the mouse at a convenient moment and so tell the computer that you're still there.
-- st3f, Aug 16 2004

Inspired by... http://www.halfbake...proximity_20feature
...the more complex but probably more useful 'ScreenSaver proximity feature' [st3f, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]

an audible one might be nice, for when you are not actually looking at the screen.
-- po, Aug 16 2004


If you insist on using a screensaver, shouldn't be anything unobtrusive about it. I think the countdown numbers should fill the screen, probably without accompanying sound effects, announcing the countdown in an undeniable fashion.

As an alternative, if you know you're going to be away for more than a few minutes, why not just turn your monitor off, but leave your CPU on? I've yet to see a deleterious effect on the performance of either my monitor or CPU, given properly active firewalls, antivirus software, and spyware.

Am I wrong, or does this seem like such a twentieth century problem?
-- jurist, Aug 16 2004


[st3f] Did you just edit the second paragraph of your idea to accomodate my annotation? Or did I imagine it?
-- jurist, Aug 16 2004


It was in a constant state of 'edit' for about five minutes; I accidentally hit 'submit' when I just had the title and baked at speed to prevent the "where's the idea?" annotations. The numerical display came and went, then came back again. I wouldn't want it full screen, though.
-- st3f, Aug 16 2004


I wouldn't really want it full screen either, which is why I tend to log-off my internet connection at home, and then merely turn the monitor off. But in a business situation, I wouldn't have any qualms about large numbers scaled to grab my attention appearing on the screen. After all, if I was actively working on the material displayed on the screen, the giant number countdown would never appear. But, if I was across the studio or office engaged in a second problem, I might be grateful for a highly graphic signal that did not auditorily interrupt my customers or companions.
-- jurist, Aug 16 2004


jurist, Rods: I'm not looking for something attention-grabbing. If it distracts you from other work you're doing on paper then that's as annoying as the screensaver cutting in when you're looking at something on the screen. I was thinking of something a little more subliminal (I particularly like dark starting to creep in from the corners of the screen) so that you would unconsciously know that the screensaver was about to come on without the process ever having distracted you from what you were doing.
-- st3f, Aug 16 2004


change your settings.
-- dentworth, Aug 16 2004


Agreed.
-- DrCurry, Aug 16 2004


cool. idea. how about a progressive loss of brightness and color instead of the bar or icon.. it's both not stressful, nor can it be unnoticed if you're still working at that computer. seeing the screen fade away would really make you reconsider if the images there are worth your attention or not, and that in a very pleasant manner.
-- sweet, Aug 16 2004


On my work computer, the screen-saver WILL come on after 15 minutes, whether you like it or not. When it comes on, it locks the computer, and I have to put my password in again. It's my company's security policy, not a damn thing I can do about it.

So, I would love this [+]
-- sycorob24, Aug 16 2004


I could use such a thing. My problem is that corporate policy requires a screensaver with a minimum timeout that locks the console. Luckily if I hit the mouse within a second of the screensaver comming on, it aborts before the console is locked so I don't have to retype my password. But if I had a nice countdown, I wouldn't have to rush as much to hit the mouse.

If I didn't have the locking problem, I don't see why this would really be that useful. How is a full screen countdown any worse than a screensaver? I do like the fading out from the corners thing since it wouldn't interrupt something I was looking at. I'd use that with a blank screen screen saver for a seamless effect. I am generally annoyed by screen savers that actually display anything.
-- scad mientist, Aug 16 2004



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