Package: xscreensaver
Version: 5.34-1
Severity: normal
Tags: upstream patch
Dear Maintainer,
In the lock screen, XScreenSaver displays the following message in bold font:
This version of XScreenSaver is very old! Please upgrade!
There is a similar warning when opening the "Screensaver" command from
the XFCE Applications Menu:
_("Warning:\n\n"
"This version of xscreensaver is VERY OLD!\n"
"Please upgrade!\n"
"\n"
"http://www.jwz.org/xscreensaver/\n";
"\n"
"(If this is the latest version that your distro ships, then\n"
"your distro is doing you a disservice. Build from source.)\n"
),
Please disable these warnings.
A proposed (untested) patch attached.
I know that the author has placed a Big Fat Warning in senescent_p()
asking distro maintainers not to remove those warnings. However, as
a user I find these warnings rude and obnoxious, and I wish my computer
not to be obnoxious to me. Therefore, I ask that you disable the
recency check, notwithstanding the author's request.
The author's wishes that users not bother him with bugs about old
versions of the software can surely be addressed without unavoidable
dialogs in *bold* or ALL CAPS presented _every time a user unlocks her
screensaver_, as well as every time a user tries to configure her
screensaver. I can think of at least two ways off the top of my head¹,
that don't involve discrediting xscreensaver's downstreams or shouting
at users.
Thank you.
Daniel
¹ - include the release date, advice to upgrade, and a statement that
upstream won't accept bug reports, all rendered in the typical running
text font, wherever the version number is displayed; or
- route users' bug reports to upstream through a web page that
explains the issue; or
- route users' bug reports to upstream through a web form that has
a "Version number:" field and gives the "Out of date" error if the
user filled in an old version number.
P.S. I'm reporting this against the version in stable/jessie, but as far
as I can tell, the problem still exists in git revision
debian/5.33-1-4-gff0d1d4.
diff --git a/driver/prefs.c b/driver/prefs.c
index 55bac7b..f9f96c3 100644
--- a/driver/prefs.c
+++ b/driver/prefs.c
@@ -1663,6 +1663,8 @@ stop_the_insanity (saver_preferences *p)
Bool
senescent_p (void)
{
+ return 0;
+
/* If you are in here because you're planning on disabling this warning
before redistributing my software, please don't.
