XScreenSaver - Definition and Overview

XScreenSaver is a screensaver program for Unix-like operating systems running the X Window System. It is maintained by Jamie Zawinski. The open source Unix-like systems use it almost universally.

Hacks

One reason for XScreenSaver's tremendous popularity is the ease of adding extra modules, known as "hacks". The program's home page states "Any X program that can draw on the root window can be used with xscreensaver.".

Some popular hacks include:

• Atlantis - an OpenGL animation showing whales and dolphins
• BSOD - shows fake fatal error screens from a variety of computer systems, including Microsoft Windows' blue screen of death, a linux kernel panic, a Darwin crash, an Amiga "Guru Meditation" error, a sad mac and many others.
• Apple2 - simulates an Apple 2 computer, showing a user entering a simple basic program and running it
• Barcode- a number of coloured barcodes scroll across the screen
• Flow - a 3d display of strange attractors
• Flying toasters - 3d toasters fly around, inspired by the classic After Dark screensaver
• Gears - an OpenGL animation showing intermeshing gears and planetary gears
• Penrose - shows the screen being aperiodically tiled with coloured Penrose tiles
• Sproingies - shows an animation in the style of Q*Bert
• XMatrix - animations similar to the "character waterfall" title sequence see in The Matrix and its sequels

External links

• XScreenSaver home page (http://www.jwz.org/xscreensaver/)