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Idea #7702: Disable desktop effects when on battery power

Written by punischdude the 27 Apr 08 at 13:21. Related project: Compiz. Status: New
Rationale
In view of power consumption desktop effects should be disabled when a laptop is on battery power and, if they were enabled on AC power, be enabled on AC power again.

96
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Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #7702
Written by punischdude the 27 Apr 08 at 13:21.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #7702 was submitted before this update, its rationale and solution are not separated. Please vote accordingly, and if you have the necessary rights, please separate the rationale from the solution. Thanks!
15
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Solution #2: Add option in Power Management Preferences
Written by JebusWankel the 4 Apr 09 at 20:59.
There should be an option in System > Preferences > Power Management to disable Compiz when running on battery power. It should have the same effect as going to System > Preferences > Appearence and setting Visual Effects to none.
4
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Solution #3: different compiz config for battery power
Written by kreep the 6 Apr 09 at 12:13.
same as above, except instead of turning to metacity, just use a different, customizable, less power-hungry setting as an alternative.
2
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Solution #4: Let Power Manager deal with this
Written by bill_bsb the 23 Apr 10 at 09:07.
Add an extra option to the Visual Effect (Affects Preferences) list that is called something like "Power Managed: Power Manager will activate the appropriate Visual Effect according to your power preferences".

And them, on Power Management Preferences, add the additional Display configuration on each tab. Something like:
Use this Visual Effects setting (manual, None, Normal, Extra).

This way, users would easily have the option to have their Visual Effect sensible/aware of their current power source. Maybe you could get some extra minutes of computer usage if you use no visual effects.

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oblique63 wrote on the 27 Apr 08 at 13:39
only if its an optional setting that the user gets to have a say in...

but for now +0

punischdude wrote on the 27 Apr 08 at 14:37
that's why I didn't say "by default" ;)

Auzy wrote on the 27 Apr 08 at 14:42
lol, the assumption was that it would be an option..

+1

babis79 wrote on the 27 Apr 08 at 20:34
-1 don't do that, it is confusing for normal users, they maybe think that there is something wrong!

Ssdg wrote on the 27 Apr 08 at 21:48
since you mentioned "not by default", I +1 this idea (which I think is great)

Ssdg wrote on the 27 Apr 08 at 21:48
since you mentioned "not by default", I +1 this idea (which I think is great)

punischdude wrote on the 27 Apr 08 at 22:20

punischdude wrote on the 27 Apr 08 at 22:21
>> -1 don't do that, it is confusing for normal users, they maybe think that there is something wrong!

punischdude wrote on the 27 Apr 08 at 22:24
sth is wrong with the comment function *grml*

so referring on my comment above:

this wouldn't be confusing because it isn't by default and there could be a little smoothy infobox telling you this is normal

leu wrote on the 27 Apr 08 at 22:51
Some people should comment and await the answer /before/ they vote.
+1

johno wrote on the 28 Apr 08 at 03:01
You'd want to check there's actually a measurable advantage first. Even then, it may be better to stay in the compiz window manager, but have a mode to turn off power consuming effects.

thecheatah wrote on the 28 Apr 08 at 03:40
@johno

I checked it out in the way I use my laptop, I dont need to turn off the effects. Usually I read a website or some pdf.

I think the proper way would be to make a plugin for compiz which decides what to do in battery vs. non. May be even have two completely different configurations for the two or more modes. May be have a drop down in each plugin where you can pick the mode and the settings that go along with it.

ændrük wrote on the 28 Apr 08 at 04:38
There are utilities and scripts out there to toggle compiz on and off. These tend to be the tailored to the needs of gamers who frequently run compiz-incompatible programs yet have an insatiable hankering for eye candy when in-between gaming sessions.

Pairing up one of these toggling implementations with something that monitors the laptop battery might be a good place to start. It shouldn't be very hard for the impatient to rig up some kind of script to accomplish this.

holizz wrote on the 28 Apr 08 at 07:01
I'm not sure. There would have to be a warning that certain things won't work without Compiz, such as AWN.

+0 until I see some evidence that turning Compiz off reduces power consumption.

wleoncio wrote on the 28 Apr 08 at 11:22
Does Compiz even uses that much more battery power?

punischdude wrote on the 28 Apr 08 at 19:48
compiz increases cpu usage of some applications and actions ergo it increases power consumption

Habbit wrote on the 18 Oct 08 at 14:13
I'd like to revive this idea with a +1, and also the "System Modes" idea.

bill_bsb wrote on the 23 Apr 10 at 08:54
I really like this idea and what impress me most is that it was submitted in 2008 (almost 2 years old now)! I think it would be more than enough time to implement it specially now that power consumption and efficiency is on the hype! Windows Vista SP2 has something like it implemented already but probably Ubuntu could have it first if only we, users, wanted it.

Please vote on my solution. Doesn't matter what your vote is as long as this topic get more attention. LET"S REVIVE THIS!

slashdotaccount wrote on the 1 Oct 10 at 14:19
i am wondering that there is no post where someone tells us a solution for this

seems that this is not easy to implement

but i mean for me as a non programmer and with a little linux knowledge ... there is some action whitch turns on the battery symbol and the display brightness (witch is not customable and too dark i think btw)

there must be a trigger we can use for "metacity --replace" and "compiz --replace"


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