Can note that this still happens in Trusty, and since bug #726471 is fixed, this user level workaround now works:
mkdir -p ~/.local/share/dbus-1/services cat <<EOF > ~/.local/share/dbus-1/services/org.gnome.ScreenSaver.service [D-BUS Service] Name=org.gnome.ScreenSaver Exec= EOF On a side note, I do believe this is a bug in gnome screensaver. It should have a notion of whether or not it is supposed to be managing screensaving in the user session, and if not then it should respond to DBus clients with an appropriate error if they try to activate it. -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Desktop Packages, which is subscribed to gnome-screensaver in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/726480 Title: gnome-screensaver forces itself upon xscreensaver users Status in “gnome-screensaver” package in Ubuntu: Confirmed Bug description: Binary package hint: gnome-screensaver gnome-screensaver installs the DBus file /usr/share/dbus-1/services/org.gnome.ScreenSaver.service which unconditionally starts gnome-screensaver whenever some other process (e.g. nm-applet, update-notifier) "pull the trigger". This is troubling for users of non-gnome desktop environments, e.g. LXDE. A workaround for me was to install the following /usr/local/share/dbus-1/services/org.gnome.ScreenSaver.service: [D-BUS Service] Name=org.gnome.ScreenSaver Exec=/bin/sh -c 'if xscreensaver-command -version >/dev/null 2>&1; then renice +10 $$ >/dev/null 2>&1; while sleep 60; do :; done else exec /usr/bin/gnome-screensaver; fi' gnome-screensaver-placeholder The dummy process remains active because if it exited immediately, dbus might try to restart gnome-screensaver. I don't know if this is really necessary. First of all, this needs to be fixed -- screensavers should not step on each others' toes. Secondly, is there a more elegant workaround? Note that because of bug #726471, a user can't override a misguided /usr/share/ service file in his home (~/.local/share) configuration: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/dbus/+bug/726471 ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04 Package: gnome-screensaver 2.30.0-0ubuntu2 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-11.154-rt Uname: Linux 2.6.31-11-rt i686 Architecture: i386 Date: Mon Feb 28 12:44:49 2011 GnomeSessionIdleInhibited: Unknown GnomeSessionInhibitors: Failed to acquire InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 10.04 "Lucid Lynx" - Release i386 (20100429) ProcEnviron: LC_COLLATE=C PATH=(custom, user) LANG=en_US.utf8 SHELL=/bin/bash SourcePackage: gnome-screensaver WindowManager: gnome-wm To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-screensaver/+bug/726480/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages Post to : desktop-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
