Ubuntu
indicator-applet package

Will indicator-applet completely replace Notification Area?

Asked by Steve

Hi. I've read up on the concept behind indicator applet, and how it's supposed to eventually replace the Notification Area (System-tray). I also gather it's supposed to only show things that notify the user that something is happening.

So my first question is why is Rhythmbox there. Don't get me wrong, I want it there, but it's not notifying me of anything, so I gather it shouldn't be there.

A lot of applications use the notification area. If it is removed from Ubuntu, then where will their icons show up? If they show up in the Indicator Applet, then one of the goals for the applet - to remove needless icons, is gone. If they don't show up, then how are we to access the functionality of applications that currently use the Notification Area? Are Canonical going to re-write all the apps that we can currently install in Ubuntu to make them work in a Canonical approved way, or are we just going to be allowed to use a set of Canonical Approved applications?

I use a Windows program called Digiguide, which I run under Wine. Most of it's time is spent as an Icon in the Notification Area. Where will the Digiguide icon appear in future, bearing in mind that I don't need it or want it cluttering up my task-bar?

As far as I can see, the Indicator Applet seems to be fixing a problem that doesn't need to be fixed - I've had no problem with all the things that were on the top pannel before now, and only now am I having a problem with the functionality of things - e.g. Rhythmbox which is now much harder to control from the Indicator-Applet panel than it ever was before.

Sorry, this is more of a rant than a question, but I don't see a good way forward with this app/approach. :-(

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Mario Cianciolo (udda) said : 		#1

Many Ubuntu programs (Brasero, Transmission, Rhythmbox...) have replaced their tray icon with an Indicator icon. I don't know wether it's a good thing or not, but is so wasteful to keep both the tray and the indicators to do the same thing.
I think in the future the Notification Area will be removed and replaced by a sort of "wrapper" which stays in the Indicator Applet, since many applications, especially old ones, still use the tray.

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Christopher (soft-kristal) said : 		#2

One applet in particular - Cryptkeeper - needs to be in the panel to function at all, as does Gnote. Transmission general preferences cannot be changed unless it's in the panel.

I imagine these things can be accomplished via the terminal, but isn't the whole point of Unity to make it more accessible to the masses?

The masses don't use the terminal. Ditto for whitelisting.

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