Xfce Forum

orschiro

Member

Registered: 2017-11-30

Posts: 65

Polishing the default lock screen

Dear community,

I would like to discuss the design of the default lock screen.

First, let me clarify. I installed Fedora 28 GNOME and then installed Xfce on top. Thus, my Xfce experience may not be the default one.

However, I do want to point out that my lock screen (e.g. seen when resuming from suspend) looks very ancient and does not do justice to this great desktop environment.

Is this just my individual experience? Is this Fedora specific? Do other Xfce distributions provide a different lock screen experience?

Finally, a screenshot of my lock screen: https://i.imgur.com/GnKj7If.png

Yours

MountainDewManiac

Member

From: Where Mr. Bankruptcy is Prez

Registered: 2013-03-24

Posts: 1,115

Re: Polishing the default lock screen

That's xscreensaver's lock screen. See: https://www.jwz.org/xscreensaver/toolkits.html

I also found these:
http://www.ubuntubuzz.com/2013/02/how-t … creen.html
https://classicforum.manjaro.org/index.php?topic=3025.0
and
https://forum.xfce.org/viewtopic.php?id=9332

Regards,
MDM

---

Mountain Dew Maniac

How to Ask for Help <=== Click on this link

orschiro

Member

Registered: 2017-11-30

Posts: 65

Re: Polishing the default lock screen

Thank you. Your links are a bit dated. Is it still valid to say that all Xfce distros use xscreensaver and not just Fedora Xfce (still need a confirmation on this though).

Yours

MountainDewManiac

Member

From: Where Mr. Bankruptcy is Prez

Registered: 2013-03-24

Posts: 1,115

Re: Polishing the default lock screen

I think that this is up to the individual distro maintainer, that xscreensaver is not an Xfce component, it's just a choice that the distro maintainer makes.

I could be wrong, I suppose. Happens a lot .

Regards,
MDM

---

Mountain Dew Maniac

How to Ask for Help <=== Click on this link

orschiro

Member

Registered: 2017-11-30

Posts: 65

Re: Polishing the default lock screen

May I ask, which Xfce distro are you using and how does your lock screen look like?

ozjd

Member

From: Hawkesbury NSW Australia

Registered: 2012-02-05

Posts: 560

Website

Re: Polishing the default lock screen

I've noticed that many distros aren't including a screensaver at all anymore.

If you are using LightDM to login, which you probably aren't as you started with Gnome,  you can remove xscreensaver and install light-locker. That gives you the function of screen locking without the ugly animations.

orschiro

Member

Registered: 2017-11-30

Posts: 65

Re: Polishing the default lock screen

If you are using LightDM to login, which you probably aren't as you started with Gnome,  you can remove xscreensaver and install light-locker. That gives you the function of screen locking without the ugly animations.

Correct. I am using GDM (I think). Let me look into LightDM and light-locker though. Thanks!

mint4all

Member

From: off the map

Registered: 2018-08-21

Posts: 276

Re: Polishing the default lock screen

Greetings!

Afaict, xfce executes its "xflock4" command whenever one wants to "lock" the screen & keyboard (allowing all running apps to continue processing). This command supports 3 alternative lock-screens, as follows   ...
That means that your basic distro has to provide the underlying locking facility (MDM, GDM, LightDM etc.) Fwiw, Linux Mint 19 bundles LightDM+Lightlocker, a very pleasing, lightweight and easy to configure lock- & login feature (imho).

Cheers, M4A

---

Linux Mint 21.3 -- xfce 4.18 ... Apple iMAC -- Lenovo, Dell, HP Desktops and Laptops -- Family & Community Support

orschiro

Member

Registered: 2017-11-30

Posts: 65

Re: Polishing the default lock screen

That's insightful, thanks! Then I am wondering, since I am coming from Fedora GNOME and GDM, why is my instance not using gnome-screensaver but xscreensaver? Wouldn't that be the better option in this case?

Shall I suggest this to Fedora Xfce?

MountainDewManiac

Member

From: Where Mr. Bankruptcy is Prez

Registered: 2013-03-24

Posts: 1,115

Re: Polishing the default lock screen

A lot of people consider xscreensaver to be the gold standard in "screensavers." Perhaps the maintainer of your distro is one of them.

Others might not care for xscreensaver overmuch, but recognize that at its developer doesn't act like he dislikes the users of his application, lol.

Regards,
MDM

---

Mountain Dew Maniac

How to Ask for Help <=== Click on this link

mint4all

Member

From: off the map

Registered: 2018-08-21

Posts: 276

Re: Polishing the default lock screen

That's insightful, thanks! Then I am wondering, since I am coming from Fedora GNOME and GDM, why is my instance not using gnome-screensaver but xscreensaver? Wouldn't that be the better option in this case?

Shall I suggest this to Fedora Xfce?

That can't hurt, imho, but may not get noticed or acted-upon ... The quickest fix would be to (1) ensure that the gnome option is installed, then (2) copy the command script from /usr/bin/xflock4 to your home folder's ~/bin folder, (3) edit it to your liking (i.e. placing the gnome option in 1st place, or stripping it down to just executing "gnome-screensaver-command --lock", and (4) making it executable.

Cheers, m4a

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Linux Mint 21.3 -- xfce 4.18 ... Apple iMAC -- Lenovo, Dell, HP Desktops and Laptops -- Family & Community Support

orschiro

Member

Registered: 2017-11-30

Posts: 65

Re: Polishing the default lock screen

I may apply your hack, thanks m4a!

Yours