nice(1) screen saver?

[Michael_Aos]

Is there a way to make the Beach or Forest screen saver a little nice(1)er? I like it, but it pulls WAY too much CPU on my poor little iMac.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[VGZ]

Not unless renice support has been implemented by the update. Has anyone tested renice to see if the update provides functionality for that feature.

 

[rharder]

I don't even know how you <em>would</em> test for it. For that matter, how'd anyone know "nice" didn't work before?

-Rob

 

[Michael_Aos]

Originally posted by VGZ
Not unless renice support has been implemented by the update. Has anyone tested renice to see if the update provides functionality for that feature.

renice(8) is there. I'll assume for the moment that it works.

The problem is that ScreenSaver is a unique PID every time it starts.

There's no setting, or something I can "click" on?

Mike

 

[strobe]

renice() doesn't work so stop trying.

I think I've mentioned this a billion times but I guess it bears repeating (or is that bares...damn I'm tired). renice() has not been 'connected' to the Mach subsystem, consequently it will appear to work without error and the values are there, but they don't do anything.

Look at the Darwin bugs, it's listed.

 

[Michael_Aos]

Originally posted by strobe
renice() doesn't work so stop trying.

This really isn't about renice. It's about limiting the amount of CPU the screensaver uses (by any means).

Once again, is there any way to have the pretty screensaver and still have the machine be usable? Perhaps start the parent process with a little nice(1)er value?

Or maybe something I can "click" on?

Thanks,

Mike

 

[VGZ]

Originally posted by Michael_Aos
Once again, is there any way to have the pretty screensaver and still have the machine be usable?

Not to be rude but how does the amount of cpu time used by the screensaver affect the usability of the computer? You can't do anything while its running and it only uses cpu cycles when its running.

Until renice is implemented by one of the updates there is probably no way to change applications priority.

 

[Michael_Aos]

Originally posted by VGZ


Not to be rude but how does the amount of cpu time used by the screensaver affect the usability of the computer? You can't do anything while its running and it only uses cpu cycles when its running.

Actually, it's on a LAN with my Linux boxes & Windows 2000 boxes. I've installed X11 and do use it some remotely.

The most annoying thing is that it's so busy "thinking" about the screen saver, it takes FOREVER (or at least a couple seconds) to realize I want to do something and quit with the screensaver.

I've DL'd some 3rd party ones that use less CPU, which is better, but they're not nearly as pretty. It just seems odd to me that I can't tell it to chill a little.


Mike