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List:       kde-devel
Subject:    Re: Knowing when a screensaver is active
From:       Kurt Granroth <granroth () alpha ! tat ! physik ! uni-tuebingen ! de>
Date:       1999-05-21 2:26:11
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Andreas Pour wrote:
> How would a generic message that says "You have new mail" reveal anything
> private?  I guess one could genericize it even more by having a box that
> says "An application seeks your attention" (with a "Dismiss" button) float
> across the screen on top of the normal screensaver . . . .

I think there is an implicit pact with a screensaver when it is activated (at
least when it is in "lock" mode) that it will keep your desktop hidden from
unknown eyes.  Were a screensaver to somehow display personal information like
this, then the pact is broken.

This is probably a subtle (or even non-existant) issue for most users, I'll
admit.  For business users, though, this becomes a very real issue.

There is something called POPI (Protection Of Proprietary Information) at
Motorola that is taken *very* seriously.  Three POPI violations are grounds
for immediate dismissal.  Allowing an arbitrary user to access your account in
ANY way while you are not there is a serious POPI violation.  Notification of
the sort that you suggest would be considered "accessing a user's account".
Really.
-- 
Kurt Granroth            | granroth@kde.org
KDE Developer/Evangelist | http://www.pobox.com/~kurt_granroth

        KDE -- Putting a Friendly Face on Linux

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