Re: [gpm] dpms timeouts

[intech <macosx gmail com>]

> Also, this stuff is pretty well covered in the yelp text, just click
> "Help" on the icon and read the sections on screen locking and the
> relationship with gnome-screensaver.
I'm also finding this confusing. I disabled my screensaver and then
when I go to power management, its still using the screensaver
activation time+1 minute as the minimum time, even though the
screensaver is disabled! This seems pretty confusing to me and I'm
sure others as well, and no other OS does it this way either, probably
because it is confusing.


> You've got the remember - what's the point blanking the screen and then
> running the screensaver? If the help file is not clear, feel free to
> file bugs or ask further questions here. Many thanks.
Currently, its not possible to lock the screen a few minutes after the
screen goes off, which is a useful feature.

Another thing, a little unrelated: Why is the maximum time limited to
1 hour? That is very little time, even the screensaver has 2 hours as
the maximum! I personally would like my computer to go to sleep after
about 3 hours as that probably means I'm sleeping if I haven't touched
my computer for 3 hours, and I don't want my computer sleeping if I am
awake (no pun intended).

Comparing the current scenario to what exists in other popular
operating systems:
Mac OS X uses a slider with a 3 hour maximum before the Never option,
and always starting from 1 minute.
Windows XP uses a dropdown menu with a 1 minute minimum and
incrementing by 5 minutes up to 30 minutes, 45 minutes, and then every
hour up to 5 hours.

I don't think its necessary to go up to 5 hours, but 3 hours should be
a minimum. We should compromise:
The slider should allow you to select to the minute between 1 minute
and 3 hours, then have a single ticket for 4 hours for those who need
a longer option, and then the final tick being "never". I think that
would provide a good balance.

Windows XP doesn't deal with the screensaver activating after the
screen is off, and Mac OS X displays a warning and a button to get to
screensaver settings if you set the number of minutes below the
screensaver activation minutes.

The other option that wouldn't clutter the UI but could also help
prevent confusion about when the lock screen is activated (although
removing the ability to lock the screen after the screen goes off) is
to have the screensaver activate and the session marked as idle
whenever the screen goes off.

I'm hesitant to say that it should actually adjust the screensaver
time though as someone max push it all the way to 1 minute and then
push it back up, then the screensaver setting probably wouldn't
automatically follow it back up and it would lead to the screensaver
being set to activate too fast. For this reason, I think displaying
the warning probably is the best option.

Adam

> Richard.
>
>
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