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Did you know that #XScreenSaver (yes, the collection of screensavers for X11) is available on Android?
And that #Google requires it to have a privacy policy in order to be available in the Play Store?
And that the maintainer chose to crowd-source a privacy policy where every item starts with "Unlike Google"?
It's become a great list of all the privacy violations Google did and still does. And I thought that it's gonna be long, but it's even longer than I imagined.
#FBPE @scy What's the use case for an Android screen saver?
On my phone, I want the screen switched off when not in use, to save battery.
I have a tablet which is in use in the kitchen as a #HomeAssistant dashboard - this is permanently plugged in so no worries about battery life. But it exists so that we can see things at a glance, so we don't want a screen saver there either.
To state the obvious:
You do not have a use case for a screen saver? Then do not use it.
@TimWardCam @residuum Watching it for the aesthetics or nostalgia.
@scy @TimWardCam @residuum Also the maintainer himself is kind of a legend.
@scy @TimWardCam @residuum I use it in my Nvidia Shield because the Matrix screensaver looks awesome on my TV
@scy @TimWardCam @residuum *puts on GL Matrix*
aaaahh
@TimWardCam @residuum @scy As I read the privacy policy, one possible usecase is as a live (animated) background on the homescreen …
@csolisr @scy @residuum @TimWardCam
Besides, the linked page mentions live wallpapers — maybe that is a good use case for it on a phone 
@TimWardCam Different strokes for different folks.
@TimWardCam @scy : I have a TV that runs Android. I think that could use a screensaver.
@TimWardCam @scy you can use it as a live (animated) wallpaper.
@TimWardCam @scy I think the main use case is as a vehicle to troll Google. 
@TimWardCam That tablet is not at risk of burn-in?
@AngryAnt Dunno ... is that a thing with modern kit?
@TimWardCam The degree of susceptibility certainly varies between display technologies and price points, but I am not aware of one completely impervious to it.
An always-on display showing the same elements 90+% of the time certainly seems a powerful test case?
@AngryAnt I guess I'll find out!
I guess that as it's a tablet with a camera I could get it to detect that the room is in pitch darkness and turn the screen off.
@TimWardCam @scy Android has a screensaver feature, and they can be set as live wallpapers as well.
@TimWardCam @scy it's the xscreensaver code, usable as an android live wallpaper. Which is usable as the background to your app launcher
@scy This is a list of googles crimes against humanity
@scy beautiful
@scy
I just wonder why he even bothers to get it into Google's Play Store when there's a simple apk file available. Also there's F-Droid, IzzyOnDroid and other free app stores.
@scy
Have you seen the version that scrolls up like Star Wars?
jwz's snark is my spirit animal 
@scy Freaking amazing 
*9 Roger @scy nice. I have the gravity well on now.
@scy boy that IS a loooooong list of crimes (that are legal by current law)
[SK] 
⁂ @scy
Oh nice now XScreensaver can be downloaded from the Google Play Store too, I only known that it's available on f-droid.
That privacy policy is genius, I like the wording. 
@scy this person is my today-hero
Tech, negative adjacent
@scy typical jwz, 10/10
@scy But will it (unlike Google) never give you up, let you down or run around and desert you?
@hennichodernich @scy
See the last item on the list
pResident Evil@scy What's not gonna be long is how short will it stay before google bans it "for inappropriate privacy policy" 
@scy As soon as you said "the maintainer" I knew this was going to be good - JWZ has been doing this kind of thing since before he was at Netscape.
@scy This whole entire list is just making my day 
@scy The last item is really the most important one!!
@scy LOL:
Unlike Google, XScreenSaver will never offer you advice, as it cannot talk. In the event that XScreenSaver does talk, we ask you to ignore its advice. As we do with Google.
🜏Technomancer🜏@scy. I wish all software was like this.
@scy I’m sure there’s as “Google burn-in” joke in there somewhere …
Ⓐ 
@scy The last one in the list is priceless
@scy that's glorious.
@scy Neat bit of leverage.
@scy Remarkable.
@scy
I absolutely don't need a screen saver on my phone, but hell yeah I'm installing it, just so I can agree to the privacy policy
@scy
Half an hour later my phone battery is dead because I've been going through all the old X11 screen savers on it. I remember now why I never bother installing it on any of my Linux machines. They're all so deliciously bad. Like, almost so bad they are good, but instead so bad they are just really bad.
@scy This should be the new standard.
@scy The last one is especially delicious. 
@scy brilliant subversion.