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View Full Version : [ubuntu] Ubuntu 8.04: Removing A Screen Saver



tinker123
July 9th, 2008, 06:24 PM
Hi;

I'm using Ubuntu 8.04. I like the random screen saver. I don't like one screen saver in particular. It takes random images on my hard drive and rotates them as a screen saver. Cool Screen Saver, bad idea for a default. Maybe there are some images people don't want flashing up on their screen while they are talking to people in their homes :).

Is there any way I can keep the random screen saver, but remove/disable just this one?

Thanks

werries
July 9th, 2008, 07:57 PM
yes, theres a way to remove just one screensaver, and i have entirely forgotten how. >.<
edit: just found it.

sudo rm /usr/share/applications/screensavers/screensaver_name.desktop
where screensaver_name is where you put in the one you want to remove

tinker123
July 10th, 2008, 02:07 AM
yes, theres a way to remove just one screensaver, and i have entirely forgotten how. >.<
edit: just found it.

sudo rm /usr/share/applications/screensavers/screensaver_name.desktop
where screensaver_name is where you put in the one you want to remove

Thanks!

FYI, the name of the offending screen saver is
personal-slideshow.desktop

What a *bad* idea to include that in the random list by default! :)

vayira
June 22nd, 2009, 12:59 PM
FYI, the name of the offending screen saver is
personal-slideshow.desktop

What a *bad* idea to include that in the random list by default! :)

I too was a bit horrified to see my private photos poping up on the screen without warning. I shall delete it now!

In 9.04 Jaunty it is called pictures folder

tinker123
November 28th, 2010, 04:11 PM
Hi;

I'm using Ubuntu 8.04. I like the random screen saver. I don't like one screen saver in particular. It takes random images on my hard drive and rotates them as a screen saver. Cool Screen Saver, bad idea for a default. Maybe there are some images people don't want flashing up on their screen while they are talking to people in their homes :).

Is there any way I can keep the random screen saver, but remove/disable just this one?

Thanks


I forgot about the existence of this issue and that I did something about it. I rediscovered it 16 months later. In other words the screensaver got reinstalled during an upgrade.

This is a potential security issue.

Someone can choose the option to display random screensavers not knowing this screensaver will display random pictures from their hard drive --- possibly to coworkers, a boss, guests etc.

I opened up a feature request to have it removed or at least not reinstalled. If you agree with me please take the time to vote my feature request up:

Idea #26580: Potential Privacy Issue: Screensaver personal-slideshow.desktop
http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/26580/

tinker123
November 28th, 2010, 05:14 PM
I discovered 3 things:

1. Removing the screensaver from the directory quoted earlier does not work.

2. This is a problem with GNOME/gnome-screensaver, not Ubuntu

3. I found directions in a FAQ on the GNOME web site for removing a screensaver from the list of screensavers. Run the command in those directions logged in as a regular user, not root. The command will only disable screensavers for that user.

http://tinyurl.com/2632kld

HTH