Screensaver... do I need one?

[bigperm]

My brother and I are getting into an arguement here... I say that we don't really need a screensaver because only those old monochrome monitors burned an image on the screen if you left it on too long.

He says that all monitors do this, it just takes longer on the newer monitors. I say that the new ones don't and you don't really need a screensaver.

Please settle this.

[Toefur]

You're right, you're brothers wrong.

[Coolin]

Depends how long you're gonna keep your monitor on, if it's gonna be an hour or longer, you'll want a screensaver to play it safe. If not, don't bother. If I was going to leave my computer on for longer than an hour, I would just shut off the screen.

[Epgs]

yeah just shutting off the monitor is easier for me.

[coolguy23]

don't you guys have the energysaver thingy, where your monitor turns off after 15 minutes of inactivity?
i just put that on, instead of the screensaver and my comp is on like the whole day ;)

[Epgs]

i leave my comp on weeks at a time

[LeX]

My engery saver thing must've gone haywire or something... it used to go blank after 30 minutes of inactivity, but now it don't do anything. :( Anybody know how to fix that?

[bigperm]

So are you guys saying that you need a screen saver? Or you don't? Say you leave it on for a real long time. Is toufer the only one who is with me on that?

[Woofcat]

I've seen computer labs with computers on 24/7 that don't have screensavers...

And if you think about it most people use windows and have the taskbar on the screen in the same place all the time... You'd think thousands of people would have the start button and crap burned on their monitors if this was a problem...

[Coolin]

Originally posted by LeX
My engery saver thing must've gone haywire or something... it used to go blank after 30 minutes of inactivity, but now it don't do anything. :( Anybody know how to fix that?
LeX, it's in the Display Properties in the control panel under screensaver. You should see a place for the energy saver thing.

[coolguy23]

Originally posted by Coolin

Originally posted by LeX
My engery saver thing must've gone haywire or something... it used to go blank after 30 minutes of inactivity, but now it don't do anything. :( Anybody know how to fix that?
LeX, it's in the Display Properties in the control panel under screensaver. You should see a place for the energy saver thing.

try screwing aroud with that or you have a program running that keeps refreshing and won't allow the energy thingy to go on ;)

[Rodie]

Why don't you just get a screensaver? It certainly won't do any harm. If you don't want it coming on all the time, just set it to turn on every hour or so...

[Gayowulf]

Just look at some arcade machines at the local arcade. At least some will have something burned into them. Im pretty sure colour monitors can be burned out.

[Coolin]

Originally posted by Gayowulf
Im pretty sure colour monitors can be burned out. Of course! Nothing will last forever.

[Gayowulf]

A LCD flatscreen or one of thoses new LED monitors (if you're real rich) might last a little longer

[bigperm]

The thing is, I turned to my brother, and told him that you don't really need a screen saver. Then we got into a big arguement.

So this is really not rational or anything.

I still have yet to see a color monitor burned out.

[Canuckkev]

Okay, my momma works in a flower shop, and they have a computer/monitor for the billing and stuff, instead of a register. They leave the monitor at the same screen for...ever. 24 hrs a day, every day, until a power failure. They had a problem with the program, so I tried to fix it, and therefore had to exit the billing program. The lines and stuff from the screen was completely burnt into the screen. It was pretty cool, but made the monitor completely useless for anything else. Anyways, it wasn't an old monochrome, it had over 256 colours at least. So, to answer, if you leave it on long enough, it will cause a problem. Why not just have a simple screen saver? Or put it in standby?

[zazoo]

It doesnt matter how old your machean is, just the monitor

if you buy a monitor today it will NOT burn in, I know this because im on a computer that sits around all day with the same background.

and about the aracde thing where the image is burned in..

thats because those games are on TVs
and a TV isnt designed to have the same picture on it for hours at a time so it still can be burned in

if you have an old monitor your monitor will take longer to burn in (or will seem longer) if you don't have distinct lines because then it burnes in some spots more then others and looks bad