Screensaver enhancements

Organization

The BOINC screensaver (Win, Mac) will be divided into two parts:

• A screensaver coordinator program that doesn't do graphics (except for Win preview mode, which will just display a logo). Instead, the coordinator will run separate programs (project-supplied graphics apps, and graphics apps bundled with the installer). The order and timing of these apps will be configurable.
• A default graphics app, which the coordinator runs if no project apps are available.

Organizations that make their own installers (GridRepublic) might develop their own graphics apps, and bundle them with the installer.

Configuration file format (XML):

<graphics_apps>
   <app>
      <executable>foo.exe</executable>
      <time>3600</time>
   <app>
   <app>
      <science_app/>
      <time>3600</time>
   </app>
</graphics_apps>

This would say to run "foo.exe" for an hour, then run a science app's graphics (if one is available) for an hour, and repeat.

Default graphics app

The default graphics app will be implemented using OpenGL, using the BOINC graphics library framework. It will be configurable via a local XML file, and also via general preferences. Optional components:

• Jobs in progress, with 3-D progress bars
• Logos and slide shows of running projects
• User-supplied logo
• User-supplied background image
• User name, team, credit
• RSS feeds