Re: [gpm] dpms timeouts

["Stu Hood" <stuhood gmail com>]

I think we should allow the user to set a DPMS time that is lower than the screensaver/lock time if they want to... as long as it isn't that way by default. This allows the use case where a user wants to save power, but doesn't want to type in their password after 5 minutes.

More generally, these two preference dialogs seem ripe for integration, especially since the GPM preferences code was recently seperated from the tray icon: is "Power and Screensaver Management" too long? Placing the screensaver options under the GPM Display tab and making it the first tab in the GPM Preference window would certainly clarify things. Then we could have three sliders (one for Lock, Screensaver, Display Sleep) and the user could immediately see the effect of their dragging.

Stu Hood

On 11/2/06, Richard Hughes <hughsient gmail com> wrote:

On Sun, 2006-10-29 at 17:46 -0500, intech wrote:

Sorry for the delay, been busy.

> > 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.

Perhaps.

> >
> > 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.

Is it? Can you provide a use case please.

> 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).

Why would you want your computer to be on for 3 hours of unattended
non-use? Why not suspend after an hour, when it only takes a few seconds
to resume?

> 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.

Sure, I can appreciate the comparison.

> 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.

Neither of these are good options I think.

> 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.

Hmm, there must be a way we can do this in an easy to use way. I don't
particularly like the mac way of doing things.

Richard.


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