Apple has squirreled away some gems right on on your own hard drive and the first place you should look is /System/Library/Compositions (in the Finder, hit Command-Shift-G and paste that path in & hit return). With that folder open, go to System Preferences and select Desktop & Screen Saver and select the Screen Saver tab. Now, you can test each one by dragging a .qtz file right onto the test panel in the Preferences window and either wait a bit or click Test. Notable ones include Defocus.qtz, Stix.qtz and Travelator.qtz. Some may require you to select a base image (click Options… to see if any of the Composers have options you can tweak).

Things get really interesting if you head on over (in the Finder) to /Developer/Examples/Quartz Composer/Compositions (which only exists if you install the Developer Tools from the Leopard Install DVD). You have to dig into folders, but you’ll find Image TV.qtz under Conceptual which mimics various Apple ads and the Apple TV intro quite nicely. There’s even a token Screen Savers directory where you’ll find a Quartz Composer that uses motion-detection called Security.qtz (it may not be the best choice for a screen saver if there isn’t a great deal of motion around your system).

Screen Savers DIY

If you do install the Developer Tools, definitely head on over to /Developer/Applications and startup Quartz Composer. Apple made it pretty easy to create your own visual delights. It’s as simple as dragging nodes around, taking input and specifying how data should be processed.

You can open up any of the examples to use as a starting point.

If you do give it a try, drop a note in the comments and share your creation with the world!

[via Mac Tips & Tricks]

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Why iPad 2 Will Lead Consumers Into the Post-PC Era
• The Near-Term Evolution of Social Commerce
• Content Farms: The Players, The Benefits, The Risks