XScreenSaver’s creator, jwz, has clarified that there is no official GitHub repository for the screensaver software, despite repositories bearing the project’s name appearing on the platform.
In a statement posted to what appears to be an unofficial repository on GitHub, jwz emphasized that he does not publish a public source code repository. Instead, releases are distributed exclusively as tar files on the official website.
“I am jwz, the author of XScreenSaver, and I do not publish a public source code repository,” the statement reads. “I publish releases as tar files on the official web site and only there. If you see any other XScreenSaver repository (on GitHub or elsewhere) that has nothing to do with me and you should not trust it.”
The clarification addresses a common point of confusion for users seeking the project’s source code on GitHub, where multiple repositories claiming to be XScreenSaver exist. According to jwz, none of these repositories are maintained or endorsed by him.
Regarding contributions, jwz indicated he remains open to feedback from the community. “I welcome submissions and change requests via email,” he wrote, suggesting that users with improvements or bug reports should contact him directly rather than expecting pull requests to be integrated through version control platforms.
This approach differs from the common open-source development model where projects maintain public repositories on platforms like GitHub, allowing community members to fork code, submit pull requests, and collaborate directly. XScreenSaver’s decentralized distribution method reflects its creator’s preference for a more traditional release cycle, with tar file distributions serving as the authoritative source for the software.
For users seeking to download or verify XScreenSaver, the creator’s guidance is clear: rely only on releases from the official website to ensure authenticity and security.
Key facts
- XScreenSaver has no official GitHub repository despite multiple GitHub repositories claiming to be the project
- Releases are distributed exclusively as tar files on the official website
- The creator accepts submissions and change requests via email, not through GitHub pull requests
- XScreenSaver users should not trust repositories on GitHub or elsewhere that claim to be the official source