HOWTO: Disable Fade Effect on Password and Quit Dialogs

[23meg]

This is very simple and may be obvious, but I've missed it for a very long time, and I feel others may be as well.

Problem: The fade effect that darkens the area outside the windows in the password dialogs when running an administrative app and the window that comes up when you hit System / Quit may be disturbing. The animation is quite choppy with certain (most?) video configurations, especially when using a compositing manager, it's quite possible not to like it as a matter of preference.

Solution: Go to System / Preferences / Assistive Technology Preferences and check the "Enable assistive technologies" and "Password dialogs as floating windows" checkboxes. That's it. It's a good workaround, and is easy to miss if you've never thought this is where the option would be and don't need assistive technologies.

Caution: Be aware that with this behavior, the dialogs will be regular windows and be treated as such by your window manager, and input outside them won't be blocked. This may bring security and usability concerns or block functionality in certain cases.

[23meg]

I noticed that the "Switch User" feature stopped working after applying this. Can anyone confirm that?

[palehorse1]

*BUMP*
Is this the only way anyone has found to fix this?

I am using an XDMCP over a 100bT network connection (clearly I have just enough knowledge to be dangerous) and every time I try to perform an administrative task the fade takes an unbearable 15 seconds, or so, before it prompts me for a password.
I would prefer not to use a hack like this if it can be avoided but I would also like to improve the responsiveness of these tasks.

Thanks.
-E