A Brief History of Screensavers

Many of us would probably describe our high-school history class with one word: Boring! (We apologize if we have offended that one student in each class that thought history was fun.) Today, though, you are in for a refreshing treat: We are going to recount the exciting history of screensavers! That's right, we'll be discussing those entertaining little programs that your computer runs when it gets bored. Just what are screensavers, and why do we need them? Read on and find out!

What Are Screensavers?

To begin with, let's examine the word "screensaver" itself. The first thing we notice is that we can divide the word into two smaller words, namely "screen" and "saver". (Okay, so this isn't exactly rocket science.) So, it seems that a screensaver is useful for saving one's screen.

"Saving it from what?", you might ask. Well, many eons ago (in the 1980s), computer monitors were not very advanced. If the same image was left on the screen for extended periods of time, that image could become permanently "burned" into the monitor. Obviously, this could be viewed as a slight inconvenience.

To prevent this unfortunate situation, someone (whose name has been lost to the annals of computer history) came up with a noble idea: "Hey, if we make the screen go blank when no one is using it, that burn-in thing won't happen." And thus the screensaver was born. (Actually, a variation of this idea was already being used in the cutting-edge video game technology of the time. The Atari 2600 system was designed so that, when it wasn't being used, the screen would change to all sorts of funky colors. Does anybody remember saying, "Hey, why the heck is it doing that?!" Well, now you know.)

Of course, blank screens tend to be fairly uninteresting, as far as blank screens go. So, shortly thereafter, programs were being written which would cause some sort of effect, and later even animation, on the screen. Now, after years of advancement, we live a world full of fun and interesting screensavers. Ah, ain't technology grand!

Why Do We Need Them?

Well, the plain truth is, we don't. At least not for the sake of our computer monitors. Starting in the early 1990s, burn-resistant monitors were being built in great quantities, and there are very few of us still using the old-fashioned type. So, if we don't need them to save our screens, why is everyone still using screensavers?

In one word, the answer is: They are really, really fun to use! (Okay, so that's seven words.) Just about anything you want to see on your screen can be found nowadays, so most of us use screensavers to personalize our computers to reflect our own individuality. That may not be what made screensavers popular in the first place, but it is definitely why the screensaver has continued to endure right down into the 21st century.

Can We Live Without Them?

This brings us to the philosophical part of our discussion: Could we possibly live in a world without the humble screensaver? After all, our ancestors survived for millennia without them. It seems, though, that in their brief history, screensavers have established themselves as a permanent part of our modern culture.

In a world where everything is moving closer and closer to being the same as everything else, screensavers offer us a much-needed opportunity to show that we are different! Our personal computers, though mostly just like everyone else's, can at least show off our individual personalities every now and then through our choice of a suitable screensaver.

So, show off your personality! Find a screensaver that you love and show it off to the world! (Or at least to the part of the world that sees your computer.) Be sure to browse through our list of available screensavers. But, wherever you find the perfect reflection of your tastes, be proud, and keep the mighty screensaver alive!

Our Software:

Swan Lake: Watch graceful swans swim in a lovely mountain lake.

ProSaver: Never give up your favorite screensavers again!