Gifs and how they waste power and kill batteries:

[Green Fox]

I've noticed a problem with the way we GIFs work in 202x that definitely has a negatively impact on batteries and may relate to the sleep state issues Linus has been talking about. It's video "GIF". Which aren't actually GIFs, in the sense that they aren't GIF files, but the definitely have levered themselves into the cultural slot that GIFs used to fill.

What's the problem? It use to be when you have a browser open, lets say Twitter, and there is a GIF somewhere on the page, it would just play that GIF. If you walk away, your computer slept just fine. But now, VIDEOS are "GIFs" (culturally, if not literally). But your browser doesn't treat `<video>` the same way it treats `<img src=...gif>` GIFs elements. If you have a video element playing, your computer awake. Usually, this is a GOOD thing; it keeps your computer from sleeping in the middle of watching a movie on Netflix. Your browser is also smart enough to know when the video is paused and won't sleep.

However, now we use `<video>` elements all over social media. And these elements don't pause; they just loop forever. Leaving a Twitter window open will just pin your computer awake until the battery dies. The browser can't tell if you're just watching a video for an hour or if they're is just a "GIF" playing on a loop.

I've seen this problem on Desktops, Laptops, and Phones. But no one else seems to care or notice. I_feel_like_Im_taking_crazy_pills.gif

We need browsers makers to address this. One way could be to add a `<video type=gif>` vs `<video type=video>` (that's not great, as it brakes older not-updated websites). Another could be to detect the video's length and only block "sleep" when it's more than 30secs long. But this problem needs to be addressed by browsers (realistically, by Google)

[Zando_]

Just close the laptop when you walk away, or lock your phone manually. Both, if modern and reasonably specced, will wake from sleep near instantly and there's plenty of fast unlock options like fingerprint/face or just a short PIN.

[Green Fox]

Okay, so screen saver features are obsolete then? It's hard to close my desktop. But hey, I guess it won't run out of power, it will just pull from the grid for no reason. No problem then!

These are power saving features that objectively do not work due to the way we use tools today. And they're easily fixable. "Just don't do it bro" is a pretty garbage take.

[Zando_]

11 minutes ago, Green Fox said:

Okay, so screen saver features are obsolete then?

Screen savers won't save much if any battery on any modern laptops, aren't a thing on phones AFAIK.

12 minutes ago, Green Fox said:

It's hard to close my desktop. But hey, I guess it won't run out of power, it will just pull from the grid for no reason. No problem then!

Unless by screen saver you mean completely turning off the display, then no again the screen saver isn't saving much or any power over a low res video on any modern device.

 

I guess we just have a difference of perspective. I like my devices to do what I tell them to, if I leave my computer on it's because I want it to remain on, if I want it off I shut it down (or sleep it if I intend to use it again soon). Laptops I just close, they wake nigh instantly upon being opened again. Phone I manually lock if I want the screen off while any video app is on screen.

19 minutes ago, Green Fox said:

These are power saving features that objectively do not work due to the way we use tools today. And they're easily fixable.

You've provided no background on whether you have the know-how to build browsers or social media sites or web embeds. I sure don't, but I have learned that these "easily fixable" things in really any kind of programming/web work are usually not. If you do have the actual factual knowledge that it is easy, then just compile your own take on Chromium with those changes.

[Green Fox]

When the only discussion response I get is "I don't use it that way, therefore your wrong" from a user with thousands of posts, I can see this forum is not the welcoming place Linus claims it. Good to know.