screensaver
Why is there no screensaver in the default installation of Ubuntu 13.04 ? I've found that it can be installed afterwards, but I don't understand why this feature is not present by default. Has the concept of screensaver been replaced something else ? Is there a discussion somewhere where I could find an explanation for this ?
How do you install a screensaver ? Does Unity even have screensavers ?
The easiest way to do this is open up the System Settings, Dash -> System Settings and select your screen.
You should be prompted with the following screen options;
You simply need to choose a setting that suits your needs - if you do not want the screen to turn off simply select 'Never'
You can also choose whether you want to 'Lock' the screen as well. Once done choose 'All Settings' and then close - you may have to log out and back in again for the changes to take effect.
Update
For 12.04 this setting screen has been renamed to Brightness and Lock - see below;
There are two settings you can work with:
The first will signal the display to turn itself off, the second will put the computer into a sleep state. I'm assuming you're referring to the first behavior.
That being said, remember that TVs don't behave the same way that monitors do. A monitor will go to sleep ("suspend") and wake up when instructed to, but most TVs don't implement suspend mode: they will display a "No Signal" message for a few minutes and then turn off.
You'll need a computer monitor if you want display suspend functionality.
Best Answer
There is no need for screen-savers in today's day and age. They were used to prevent CRT burn-in. Turning LCD entirely off will prevent burn-in too and save a good amount of energy.
If you still want to install a screen-saver then read this article.