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screen savers on the OS X

C

Cindy

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 5, 2003
249
0
One of these days, I'll have everything set!
I would like to set the screen saver that comes with the OS X program. It's the beach one. Well, I went into HELP and it was of no help at all.
I did everything it said and the screen saver still won't activate.
Any suggestions or help?
cindy
 
Yup. There are three tabs - Screen effects/activation/hot corners.

Should I have pushed something or done something else to get it going?
Cindy

I choose the screen effect, I choose 10 minutes for activation and I choose a hot corner.
 
I did do the test button and it works great. Looks great on my screen.
But, that's only the test. Now to get it work all the time when it's supposed to.
Cindy
 
Well the test button usually means it works. If ten mintues is the activation time, the screen effect will occur after ten mintues of not user input (no mouse movements, not key presses, nothing). Your hot corners make your screen effect come on immediately when you move your cursor to the corner that you selected.

I've had problems using a Wacom graphics tablet and hot corners so if you have a Wacom Graphics tablet I suggest you remove it and the drivers to activate a screen effect.
 
I have no idea why it won't work. I looked for Wacom and it comes up with a 0, so I don't think I have that.
Cindy
 
"All the time"? It's a screensaver....
What about the hot-corner, does that work?

BTW, if you want the Beach pix to show up on your desktop all the time, you coould do this:
First browse to /System/Library/Screen Saver. Then press the CTRL-key and klik on "Beach.slideSaver, and select "Show Package contents. In there you'll find the folder "Contens". Open it and inside the folder "Resources" you will see the JPG's of all those lovely beaches.
You can copy them by pressing the Option-key (ALT) while dragging them to the new destination. (Maybe a new folder on you desktop)
The go to "System Preferences - Dekstop". Select "Collection: <the new destination>". You can then also select changing the pic every time.....
 
Hot corners does not work. I'll try the other way. But, it should work the way it was designed to. That's what irks me.
Cindy
 
I don't know what the deal is but, it's working now. I just left the computer and went out and weeded a bit and came back in and there were the beaches!!
Go figure.
Cindy
 
yeah well, I spoke too soon. It worked and now it's not!:mad:
I'm not sure I'm liking this computer very much. Kind of disappointing.
I also got a game that requires a system of 7.5 or higher.
And again, it opens up automatically in 9.2.2 -- why is that???

But the game won't work anyway. The intro is fine and then it says I have the wrong CD.
I've just about had it with this computer. Mac - user friendly - NOT.
Cindy
 
Originally posted by Cindy
yeah well, I spoke too soon. It worked and now it's not!:mad:
I'm not sure I'm liking this computer very much. Kind of disappointing.
I also got a game that requires a system of 7.5 or higher.
And again, it opens up automatically in 9.2.2 -- why is that???

But the game won't work anyway. The intro is fine and then it says I have the wrong CD.
I've just about had it with this computer. Mac - user friendly - NOT.
Cindy
Click to expand...

Cindy-- no offense-- but you don't come off as the most computer literate person. Many of these questions have already been answered for you. Here's my input, take it or leave it.

1. the screensaver is working fine, you're just doing something wrong-- if the mouse moves so much as 1 pixel, it will restart the 10 minute timer. The hotcorners need the mouse to be on the *exact* corner pixel, not just in the general area... and this can be hard to do if you're not used to being precise with the mouse. What's probably happening is that you're bumping the table, or the mouse, or hell even vibrations through the floor are moving the mouse slightly-- and you're also not hitting that furthermost 1-pixel spot in the hot corners.

2. As explained in another thread, many developers have not released OS X versions of their software... case in point, your game-- it works in 7.5-9.2, but they have not released an OS X version (or you have not got it). So yes, it's opening in 9.2.2... As it should. That's why you have Classic to begin with, to deal with those lazy developers. You cannot expect Apple to simply cease further development of their OS to keep from incompatabilities-- OS X is far superior to 9, the transition was necessary and has worked very well-- Apple is constantly praised for OS 10.2. But it's inevitable that you will have programs not run... In the windows world, this happens all the damn time.

3. What game are you trying to run, and what *exactly* does the CD say on it?

It amazes me that you've spent so much time obsessing with screensavers-- you do know that they're really not necessary, right? If you put your computer to sleep at night, or even if you leave it on constantly, it would take years before your screen started getting damaged. But you've asked us where to find screensavers, how to deal with OS 9 screensavers (i think), and this-- Perhaps you should be exploring other (more productive) uses of your time, then come tell us how well your computer works. You have an expensive piece of equipment there, and you've turned it into an expensive toy-- then complain that the toy is hard to play with :rolleyes:

okay, sorry all, this is very out of character for me. been having a bad week.

pnw
 
Originally posted by paulwhannel
It amazes me that you've spent so much time obsessing with screensavers-- you do know that they're really not necessary, right? If you put your computer to sleep at night, or even if you leave it on constantly, it would take years before your screen started getting damaged.
Click to expand...

Not to nitpick, but that's not true for a CRT. Two weeks of SETI@home on constantly, no going to black, (yes I know, ironic as hell since it's a screen saver) is enough to burn in yellow lines (yellow being opposite purple) that are visible no matter what color is supposed to be on the screen.

An LCD does take years though.
 
Originally posted by GeeYouEye
Not to nitpick, but that's not true for a CRT. Two weeks of SETI@home on constantly, no going to black, (yes I know, ironic as hell since it's a screen saver) is enough to burn in yellow lines (yellow being opposite purple) that are visible no matter what color is supposed to be on the screen.

An LCD does take years though.
Click to expand...

Really? wow... i had always understood that the damage was only bad for the orginal B/W screens-- and that as CRT technology changes, screen burn isn't a very big worry. I have been wrong before tho :D

i still stand by my point that they're more for going to bed, leaving the house, not using it for hours on end-- and that freaking out of it doesn't go on after *exactly* 10 minutes is a waste of time...

i have my monitor go to sleep every night (after about an hour of inactivity), no screensaver, and it's in perfect shape-- if i had done this with my original SE, the menubar would have been etched into the screen in a matter of days--

pnw
 
paulwhannel
You are mean!! I shouldn't even answer this back. but, if you have nothing nice to say, then just don't answer me. Let it go blank.
I'm sorry I'm computer "illiterate" and if you read my other posts all over this board I DID say that I don't know computers at all!!
I hardly know any of the computer lingo and something that is so simple, simple to you, isn't for me! I'm sure you had to start somewhere also way back when.

So, if I'm bothering you, just ignore my posts.

As far as the screen saver - it worked again. Nothing is touched on the machine - how can it when I'm not even in the room with it.
I guess it just works when it wants to.-- who knows and right now, I don't really care.
Why am I "obsessing" over a stupid screen saver.... because it's there. Simple enough??
I figure I paid good money for this computer and I would like to see things work properly.
Again, if I irritate you so bad -- then just ignore me.

And as far as the game goes, I don't care if it opens up in 9.2.2 -- I guess I didn't get my point across - (I was curious as to why it did and you answered it for me - thanks, I won't ask again - EVER).
But, the game won't work at all. Fine, it comes up in 9.2.2 -- no problem. The game is called The Crystal Key and it's by Dream Catcher.
The intro plays fine and then it asks for CD 1 even tho CD 1 is already inserted. So, it opens up, I close it up again and it says, "Wrong CD".
I have emaiied the company to ask them what to do but, I'm sure I won't hear back til the work week.
I'm just frustrated because I'm trying to do things that I have never done before and nothing is going smoothly.
Except for the little things that I do know how to do. Love the email and the alarm it gives for incoming mail!
They are offering classes for OS X at the University that I work at and I plan to join in on one and then I won't bother some of you.
For those of you with great patience in helping a computer illiterate - Thanks so much. It really means a lot to me.
Cindy
 
It sounds like Cindy would benefit from a free Saturday morning "Getting Started" class at her local Apple retail store. Many issues that she has posted on this forum would come up and likely be addressed in that class. My friend's aunt went to one and she said it was super helpful since she was new to computers and Macs in particular, and had tons of questions that he didn't have time to answer. http://www.apple.com/retail lists the schedule for each location. Hope that helps someone. :)
 
Quoted by:paulwhannel ----"okay, sorry all, this is very out of character for me. been having a bad week."

Then go home and kick the dog -- not me -- I don't think I deserve it.
Cindy
 
"It sounds like Cindy would benefit from a free Saturday morning "Getting Started" class at her local Apple retail store. Many issues that she has posted on this forum would come up and likely be addressed in that class. My friend's aunt went to one and she said it was super helpful since she was new to computers and Macs in particular, and had tons of questions that he didn't have time to answer. http://www.apple.com/retail lists the schedule for each location. Hope that helps someone. "

Like I said in a post earlier. I am going to take a class at the University that I work at dealing with OS X programs. And I'm sure they'll go into other things as well and us "stupid people" can ask away.
Sorry to have bothered all of you.
Cindy
 
Originally posted by Cindy
Like I said in a post earlier. I am going to take a class at the University that I work at dealing with OS X programs. And I'm sure they'll go into other things as well and us "stupid people" can ask away.
Sorry to have bothered all of you.
Cindy
Click to expand...

Yikes. Sorry, really just trying to help. I didn't think you were stupid, just new, and lots of people aren't aware of the free in-store classes. Good luck with your university class, and hope you enjoy your mac.
 
i never meant to imply that you were stupid, or not welcome here. you're obviously frustrated with some issues that just aren't clicking. but it's irritating to see someone blaming Apple for problems that they're not responsible for-- also that you can stop to comment about how 'mean' i am, but not to thank me for any of the other threads in which i've given you answers/advice.

Like
Screensavers
and Downloading

but i apologize for being so harsh. At any rate, the game might require you to boot into 9-- Classic is the way to run the OS 9 enviroment inside of OS X, along side X applications, but some applications need to you actually start up in 9 without X running. To do this (you can't on the most recent models) go to System Preferences -> Startup Disk and select the OS 9 icon-- when you restart, it will take you to OS 9, which has an entirely different setup than X-- None of your settings will carry over, your OS X files will be buried deep in your hard drive, and the desktop will be very different. This is where it can get confusing, as I mentioned in another thread-- If this is the method that works for your game, I suggest you use it *only* for that game, because if you start doing other things, you'll lose track quickly. Make sure you restart into OS X (That setting is in OS 9 Control Panels - Startup Disk) when you're finished there.

This is unrelated to the above, but i noticed you're having trouble quoting messages-- when you want to reply to a message, like i'm doing now, click the "quote" button under that message-- it will make the original message show up in bold, making it much easier to follow your posts.

:)
pnw
 
Originally posted by paulwhannel
but not to thank me for any of the other threads in which i've given you answers/advice.

At any rate, the game might require you to boot into 9-- Classic is the way to run the OS 9 enviroment inside of OS X, along side X applications, but some applications need to you actually start up in 9 without X running.

:)
pnw
Click to expand...


thank you for all your help.

Yes, that did it for the game. Got to ONLY have 9 running and not OS X
My scanner (which is an older ScanAce) will only run on 9 but, it doesn't matter if you're in OS X while working it.
No big deal, as long as it works. No sense in getting a new scanner if this old one still works.

My old iMac (blue Mac) which just died a few days ago.... I had a screen saver on that one - just a picture of one of my horse's heads. ummm... that could be considered "wallpaper" tho because it stayed in the background all the time.
That's kind of what I was looking for for this one -- a different background other than just plain blue.
Wallpaper is just considered to be just that correct? just a different background.
Because when I leave my computer (if I'm going to be away for an hour or longer) I just put it to sleep.

I noticed that with this new computer, when I put it to sleep, the motor stops.
Don't know if you ever had one of the OLD macs but, even when you put them to sleep, the motor kept humming as if it was still in use.
I had the old one for 4.5 years. In the last 6 months it started to give off spark sounds.
I was told it could go at any time. I wonder if this was a flaw with the old ones...
I hated to shut it down completely everytime I left. I started to when I was at work all day and re-booted it when I got home in the evening.
Who knows....
But, I like the fact that this eMac's motor takes a break when in sleep mode.
Cindy

P.S. I was going to purchase a screen saver but, (JMO) seems like a waste of money.
I think I'll just re-scan one of my own pics and use it as wallpaper.
 
Yeah, it's kind of complicated how some things will run in Classic and some only in 9. Apple is working hard to get developers to finish their OS X software and drivers-- they're kind of over a barrel on this one.

Wallpaper is typically the term for Windows, on Mac it's usually referred to as your Desktop Picture... You can change that under System Preferences -> Desktop.

I find that most screensaver packages aren't worth paying for-- even the ones that are are overpriced. Marine Aquarium is the name of one, it's a very cool aquarium simulator-- but it costs $US20, which is a bit steep for my tastes.

You can also use a single image as a screensaver-- Play around with the options, you can create quite lovely slideshows that pan and zoom over your pics... rather dramatic...

as for the sound of the eMac... What you're hearing is probably the hard drive, it's definitely good to spin it down often, heat is the fastest way to disk failure. Many Macs in the past, especially pre OS 9, had trouble going to sleep completely-- this feature was supposed to be implemented tho...

:)
pnw
 
Originally posted by paulwhannel

as for the sound of the eMac... What you're hearing is probably the hard drive, it's definitely good to spin it down often, heat is the fastest way to disk failure. Many Macs in the past, especially pre OS 9, had trouble going to sleep completely-- this feature was supposed to be implemented tho...

:)
pnw
Click to expand...


Which is what probably happened with my OS 8.5 machine. It never slept completely.
Before I forget.... wanted to ask you about old machines and info I wouldn't want anyone else to get a hold of.
The old iMac died and is fixable if someone put some $$ into it -- not worth it for me.
I don't know what I could salvage out of it -- maybe the memory? But, what about the info that is still on the hard drive?
Can't get it to run without fixing it but, if someone did fix it, they would have access to the info unless it all got deleted with the crash.
Would you suggest just holding onto it or???
Cindy
 
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