Doughnuts-like or colourful toroidal screen saver

grumpyskeptic · 05-02-2016, 05:38 AM

Some years ago I remember using a Live CD that had a screen saver that I particularly admired, in other words it was the best screen-saver I have ever seen. I think it was a Ubuntu Live Cd.

The screen saver was like moving through a dense mass of colourful toroids, that looked somewhat like doughnuts.

Does anyone remember this and would it be possible to install it on Mint for example, if I decide not to switch to Ubuntu.

Thanks.

grumpyskeptic · 05-02-2016, 05:54 AM

They looked like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZCuOKDXW7U

and may have been "Lattice" here http://www.reallyslick.com/screensavers/

More details here: http://rss-glx.sourceforge.net/

As a Linux beginner, is there a safe and simple way of getting then running on Mint 17.3 Cinnamon please, such as there being some click-to-install package somewhere?

Perhaps this thread need moving.

Thanks

Edit: also shown here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPCk9Veo_is

rokytnji · 05-02-2016, 08:28 AM

Post

Code:

inxi -F

to let members see what version of Mint you are running and machine specs. As far as I know. Screensaver packages are either xscreensaver or gnome-screensaver.

I am not hip on which individual screensaver package the donuts one is. But it will definitely need xscreensaver or gnome-screensaver to run in. Kinda like a passenger. gl looks to be needed installed also for the fancy graphic screensavers.

Code:

$ apt search xscreensaver
p   libopengl-xscreensaver-perl     - Perl module for writing OpenGL-based XScre
p   libopengl-xscreensaver-perl:i38 - Perl module for writing OpenGL-based XScre
p   xscreensaver                    - Automatic screensaver for X               
p   xscreensaver:i386               - Automatic screensaver for X               
p   xscreensaver-data               - data files to be shared among screensaver 
p   xscreensaver-data:i386          - data files to be shared among screensaver 
p   xscreensaver-data-extra         - data files to be shared among screensaver 
p   xscreensaver-data-extra:i386    - data files to be shared among screensaver 
p   xscreensaver-gl                 - GL(Mesa) screen hacks for xscreensaver    
p   xscreensaver-gl:i386            - GL(Mesa) screen hacks for xscreensaver    
p   xscreensaver-gl-extra           - GL(Mesa) screen hacks for xscreensaver    
p   xscreensaver-gl-extra:i386      - GL(Mesa) screen hacks for xscreensaver    
p   xscreensaver-screensaver-bsod   - BSOD hack from XScreenSaver               
p   xscreensaver-screensaver-bsod:i - BSOD hack from XScreenSaver               
p   xscreensaver-screensaver-dizzy  - Graphics demo that makes you dizzy (XScree
p   xscreensaver-screensaver-webcol - Webcollage hack from XScreenSaver         
p   xscreensaver-screensaver-webcol - Webcollage hack from XScreenSaver

example for inxi on my laptop I am posting frtom

Code:

$ inxi -Fxz
System:    Host: harry-RV410-RV510-S3510-E3510 Kernel: 4.2.0-040200-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 4.8.4)
           Desktop: MATE 1.8.1 (Gtk 3.10.8~8+qiana) Distro: Linux Mint 17 Qiana
Machine:   Mobo: SAMSUNG model: RV410/RV510/S3510/E3510 Bios: Phoenix v: 02UC.P026.20100916.LX date: 09/16/2010
CPU:       Dual core Pentium T4500 (-MCP-) cache: 1024 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 ssse3) bmips: 9176 
           clock speeds: max: 2300 MHz 1: 1200 MHz 2: 1200 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel Mobile 4 Series Integrated Graphics Controller bus-ID: 00:02.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.15.1 driver: intel Resolution: 1366x768@60.0hz
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Mobile Intel GM45 Express GLX Version: 2.1 Mesa 10.1.3 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card Intel 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.2.0-040200-generic
Network:   Card-1: Marvell 88E8040 PCI-E Fast Ethernet Controller driver: sky2 v: 1.30 port: 3000 bus-ID: 04:00.0
           IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Qualcomm Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) driver: ath9k bus-ID: 06:00.0
           IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 320.1GB (31.0% used) ID-1: /dev/sda model: SAMSUNG_HM321HI size: 320.1GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 18G used: 12G (70%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda6
           ID-2: /home size: 160G used: 78G (51%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda5
           ID-3: swap-1 size: 4.19GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda7
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 42.0C mobo: 42.0C
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 171 Uptime: 16 min Memory: 896.4/3885.5MB Init: Upstart runlevel: 2 Gcc sys: 4.8.4
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.111) inxi: 2.2.35

Good luck with it.

mark_alfred · 05-02-2016, 10:42 AM

I believe the package is rss-glx (Really Slick Screensavers GLX Port). So, by entering the following command, I believe you'll be able to see doughnuts to your heart's content:

Code:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install rss-glx

I think the doughnuts screensaver is known as "Lattice" within this package.

Edited to add:

Oh, you're using Linux Mint. I assume that the package would be available in the Mint repositories....

Hmm, no, it doesn't seem to be: link.

You could try installing it from source, or installing either the debian or the ubuntu package of it on your Mint system. However, I'd recommend just forgetting about it, since the package doesn't seem to be available in Mint.

ETA2: Hmm, seems the package "build-essential" (or even packages comprising this meta package) isn't available on Mint, which kinda eliminates the prospect of installing rss-glx from source. Well, given that, I'd recommend forgetting about it for your Mint box --> actually, I changed my mind after further reading (see post below). I believe you could simply install the Ubuntu package and that it would work fine.

mark_alfred · 05-02-2016, 11:36 AM

Well, I just read on the Linux Mint site that Mint is compatible with Ubuntu repositories. So, if your Mint box is already connected to the appropriate Ubuntu repository, then the command I mentioned above (and repeated below), should work. Otherwise, you'd simply have to add the correct Ubuntu repository to your sources.list. Anyway, so do try the following command and see:

Code:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install rss-glx

Or try installing with Synaptic or whatever install program you usually use. Good luck! I do now believe you'll be able to get it installed on your Mint box via the Ubuntu package.

ETA: Found this for Ubuntu compatibility:

Quote:

Linux Mint 17.3 is based on Ubuntu 14.04

If that Ubuntu repository is within your sources.list, then you're good to go. The repository is called "xenial". You'd find the package here, but it'd be best to add the repository to your sources.list if it's not already there, since the package has a bunch of dependencies. I'm guessing that the Ubuntu repository is already a part of your sources, so, as I mentioned earlier, you should be good to go by simply installing rss-glx.

rtmistler · 05-02-2016, 12:17 PM

Well what the OP can do is an "apt-get update" followed by:

Code:

sudo apt-cache search rss-glx

to see if this package is available for their particular version. I suspect that it is because of the Ubuntu relatedness, but also because I think it's a normal package available in general, not just for one particular distribution.

mark_alfred · 05-02-2016, 12:40 PM

I'm not familiar with Mint, so I wasn't sure if it comes with Ubuntu repositories already set up. I now assume it does. And yes, always best to "sudo apt-get update" before running "sudo apt-get install rss-glx". I'll add that to my posts above.

rokytnji · 05-03-2016, 08:11 AM

It's in there

Code:

$ apt-cache search rss-glx
rss-glx - Really Slick Screensavers GLX Port
$ inxi -S
System:    Host: biker: 4.2.0-040200-generic x86_64 (64 bit)
           Desktop: MATE 1.8.1  Distro: Linux Mint 17 Qiana

Ihatewindows522 · 05-03-2016, 09:27 AM

Is this it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNva9WpQXvM
It's in the xscreensaver-gl package I believe.

grumpyskeptic · 03-17-2018, 04:08 AM

Thanks. What I sought is shown in the fourth link in my second post above.

grumpyskeptic · 04-16-2018, 06:26 AM

...this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPCk9Veo_is