Screensaver

A screensaver (or screen saver) is a computer feature that changes the look of a screen when it has been left alone for an amount of time. It has been used on various devices, such as computers, televisions, ATMs, and video players.

In a screensaver, things may be moving to prevent any damage to the screen, or to show that the device has not been used for a while.

Uses

In the past, the screensaver was used to prevent damage to old screens. By moving an image on the screen while the computer was not in use, this would keep away damage from screen burn-in. That would leave the same image on the screen for a long time, even after the image has changed. This was a big problem with the ATM, as it would have a the same image for when it was not in use. For example, these images would contain words such as "Insert Card", in order to show the ATM was functional. These messages would appear, sometimes for a long time, which would cause burn-in to happen.

In the present day, with new display technology being invented, damage from burn-in became a lot less likely. Even without needing a screensaver to avoid the risk of damage, the screensaver still has many uses:

• If a device is left alone for a long time, a password may be needed in order to use the computer again, which is shown when the screensaver appears.
• The screensaver may also be able to be changed, enabling a person who uses the computer to change it in a way they like.

History

It has been said that the first screensaver was created by John Socha in 1983 for the IBM Personal Computer. The program, called "SCRNSAVE", would turn the screen black after 3 minutes of leaving it alone. As more computers were released with better technology, it enabled further options to change details of the screensaver, such as the time it should show after it has last been used.