osx screen saver login screen

[Alan Thompson]

it seems to me that when i log out, and am at the login screen, with 
the multiple user icons showing, etc..  that the screen saver does not 
activate in this state, nor do the monitor sleep settings seem to kick 
in (i think), but i'm sure on the screen saver issue.

what's the deal with this?  any workaround?

i would never have noticed except that we have a house guest, and i've 
created him a user of his own, and have finally convinced my wife of 
the benefits and concept of multiple user computing.  so, it's a 
similar situation to the computer lab at university (back when i was a 
comp sci major, there were scads of sgi indys and o2s about, all at the 
logon screen) except back then i'm sure there was some rudimentary 
screen saver in effect when i went to use the computy...

tx,

--alan