Screen savers used to be a vital necessity. In the past, computer monitors were designed in such a way that cathode ray tubes were utilized to display the images which were created with the help of electron beams. When these images would remain on the screen for long periods of time, the image would burn itself into the monitor screen itself, thus generating a faint ghost image which – should the user squint – became quite visible. As time progressed, the ghost images would get worse and worse, until such a time that they seriously impacted the display quality on the monitor itself. To this end, screen savers were created.

The early screen savers were little more than peripheral programs that would darken the screen and instead of the writing or image on the screen display changing images, such as geometric figures or the logos of companies. As time progressed, the screen savers became more intricate and many would simply love the images and activities that could be displayed on the computer monitor while the computer was on standby. Some screen savers – especially Christmas screen savers – showed beautiful snow scenes where a light snowstorm was falling; others would showcase Santa and his sleigh traveling around the world. To add to the popularity of these programs, many of them are available as free screen savers.

A free screen saver is available via download from a large number of websites. There is the aquarium screen saver which shows a wondrous underwater scene, the free Christmas screen saver that shows snow falling, and 3D screen savers which display amazing images in extreme clarity. Free winter screen savers show trees swaying in a cold breeze while squirrels eagerly seek for acorns. Whether you are looking for a 3D screen saver or some animated screen savers, the odds are good that the computer program you are looking for is available for free on the Internet. The popular options at this point generally lean toward region and holiday specific screen savers.

When asked what their favorite screen savers are, many computer users report that they have downloaded those that were connected to their favorite sports teams. Others reported that they download season specific screen savers. Only a few users admitted to installing the latest popularity pictures of celebrities – usually installed only on the home computer – while the smallest number reported not downloading anything but instead simply using the images that already came with the computer. While the modern computers no longer need screen savers to continue displaying images properly, the programs are here to stay simply because of the flexibility they offer to the computer user.