[qot]

Linux isn't even close for normal people's desktop use.

Just recently I tried and failed to simply set up a screensaver that turns my screen black (not off!) to save my display from burn-in. Eventually I just gave up. You can't do this with stock GNOME. I also tried xscreensaver (but the Debian-specific instructions in the man page are out of date) and xfce4-screensaver, both didn't work.

I've been using Debian GNU/Linux since Feb 2016 and consider myself adept but still couldn't figure this very simple task out.

[prmoustache]

Even my grandmother who used her first computer late in her seventies knew how to do that on linux.

[qot]

Please enlighten me. I've sunk hours into this.

[phendrenad2]

To be fair, what you're looking for (black but not off) is probably not something many people would want or care about. But it does demonstrate how (A) inflexible and (B) feature-poor most Linux distros are

[qot]

I'm really just looking to display a screensaver which _is_ something people want and care about.

All screensaver software that I've seen supports displaying an image / slide show which I will simply set to a black image. Another common feature is just displaying black.

Note: in Windows both of these are quite easy.

[nxbp]

What? It really couldn't be simpler: You open settings -> screensaver, choose blank after N minutes and close the settings window. Works.

[qot]

I have no screensaver options under settings: https://i.imgur.com/WM3xIWL.png

Note, I'm using Debian Sid. Gnome 3.36.2 on Wayland.

[nano9]

Try looking under Power.

[qot]

Nope, this is quite the opposite of black: https://i.imgur.com/L0O0fNn.png

It also turns my display off, which is not what I want: https://i.imgur.com/z5BIqGj.png

Seems like it's not as simple as @nxbp claims.

[hsbauauvhabzb]

Use xautolock with i3lock w/ a black image..

[qot]

That will still black the display when I'm watching youtube.

[hsbauauvhabzb]

https://github.com/caffeine-ng/caffeine-ng

Edit: fyi this wasn’t part of your initial complaint. I don’t use caffeine because I want my screen to predictably lock

[qot]

"normal people's desktop use"

[hsbauauvhabzb]

I’m not sure while you’re so hostile, but I wish you luck on all future endeavours.