kernel-packages team mailing list archive

[matteo sisti sette <1255679@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Public bug reported:

When you click on the battery icon (or if you have checked the "show time in menu bar" option)
It's great that the battery indicator tells you how much *time* is needed to finish charging the battery (when charging), or how much time is left (when discharging), even though we all know this estimate is far from reliable.
However, this cannot come at the price of not knowing the *percentage* of charge.
Given its intrinsic unreliability, the time information is almost useless in most cases. 

The percentage MUST be shown. Three behaviors would be acceptable:
- only show percentage
- show both percentage and time
- let me choose
But showing only time is definitely wrong.

Additionally, to add more confusion and frustration, the indicator
exhibits the following twisted behavior:

When you click on the icon:
- Connected and charging => "x:xx to charge"
- Connected and fully charged => sometimes "100%", sometimes "charged"
- Disconnected  => "y:yy left"

When you have already clicked on it and the submenu is already visible, and you connect or disconnect the charger, then value is updated in the following way, and then after a few seconds it changes to the behavior described above:
- Just connected and fully charged => "charged" (then it may change to "100%", or not)
- Just connected and charging => "nn%" (then it changes to "x:xx to charge")
- Just disconnected => "nn%" (then it changes to "y:yy left")

When the "show time in Menu Bar" option is checked, the behavior is the
same as described above (including the changes when
connecting/disconnecting) with the slight difference that instead of
"charged" nothing is shown.


Actually I suspect the difference between "100%" and "charged" above is not random but maybe 100% means "more than 99.5% but still detectably less than 100%", while "charged" means "not distinguishable from 100% as far as the sensor can tell". If that is the case, this distinction is not significant to the user and this way of conveying it is confusing. It would be more fair to either show "99%" whenever the battery is detectably non-full (even if it is greater than 99.5%) or to always show either "100%" or "charged" (but always the same) when the amount of charge rounds up to 100%.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.04
Package: linux-image-3.8.0-33-generic 3.8.0-33.48
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.8.0-33.48-generic 3.8.13.11
Uname: Linux 3.8.0-33-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.9.2-0ubuntu8.5
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER        PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0:  teo        2017 F.... pulseaudio
Date: Wed Nov 27 21:42:15 2013
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=ff7e702a-a05a-47fd-8c14-551e81f9e9e3
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-10-11 (47 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 13.04 "Raring Ringtail" - Release amd64 (20130424)
MachineType: Acer Aspire V3-571G
MarkForUpload: True
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.8.0-33-generic root=UUID=5830b30e-69e8-4bb4-8a2b-bc2b43c7414a ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.8.0-33-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.8.0-33-generic  N/A
 linux-firmware                            1.106
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
WifiSyslog:
 
dmi.bios.date: 10/15/2012
dmi.bios.vendor: Acer
dmi.bios.version: V2.07
dmi.board.asset.tag: Type2 - Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: VA50_HC_CR
dmi.board.vendor: Acer
dmi.board.version: Type2 - Board Version
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Acer
dmi.chassis.version: V2.07
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAcer:bvrV2.07:bd10/15/2012:svnAcer:pnAspireV3-571G:pvrV2.07:rvnAcer:rnVA50_HC_CR:rvrType2-BoardVersion:cvnAcer:ct10:cvrV2.07:
dmi.product.name: Aspire V3-571G
dmi.product.version: V2.07
dmi.sys.vendor: Acer

** Affects: linux (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: Confirmed


** Tags: amd64 apport-bug raring

-- 
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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1255679

Title:
  Battery status should show percentage as well as (or rather than) time
  or allow you to choose

Status in “linux” package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
  When you click on the battery icon (or if you have checked the "show time in menu bar" option)
  It's great that the battery indicator tells you how much *time* is needed to finish charging the battery (when charging), or how much time is left (when discharging), even though we all know this estimate is far from reliable.
  However, this cannot come at the price of not knowing the *percentage* of charge.
  Given its intrinsic unreliability, the time information is almost useless in most cases. 

  The percentage MUST be shown. Three behaviors would be acceptable:
  - only show percentage
  - show both percentage and time
  - let me choose
  But showing only time is definitely wrong.

  Additionally, to add more confusion and frustration, the indicator
  exhibits the following twisted behavior:

  When you click on the icon:
  - Connected and charging => "x:xx to charge"
  - Connected and fully charged => sometimes "100%", sometimes "charged"
  - Disconnected  => "y:yy left"

  When you have already clicked on it and the submenu is already visible, and you connect or disconnect the charger, then value is updated in the following way, and then after a few seconds it changes to the behavior described above:
  - Just connected and fully charged => "charged" (then it may change to "100%", or not)
  - Just connected and charging => "nn%" (then it changes to "x:xx to charge")
  - Just disconnected => "nn%" (then it changes to "y:yy left")

  When the "show time in Menu Bar" option is checked, the behavior is
  the same as described above (including the changes when
  connecting/disconnecting) with the slight difference that instead of
  "charged" nothing is shown.

  
  Actually I suspect the difference between "100%" and "charged" above is not random but maybe 100% means "more than 99.5% but still detectably less than 100%", while "charged" means "not distinguishable from 100% as far as the sensor can tell". If that is the case, this distinction is not significant to the user and this way of conveying it is confusing. It would be more fair to either show "99%" whenever the battery is detectably non-full (even if it is greater than 99.5%) or to always show either "100%" or "charged" (but always the same) when the amount of charge rounds up to 100%.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.04
  Package: linux-image-3.8.0-33-generic 3.8.0-33.48
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.8.0-33.48-generic 3.8.13.11
  Uname: Linux 3.8.0-33-generic x86_64
  ApportVersion: 2.9.2-0ubuntu8.5
  Architecture: amd64
  AudioDevicesInUse:
   USER        PID ACCESS COMMAND
   /dev/snd/controlC0:  teo        2017 F.... pulseaudio
  Date: Wed Nov 27 21:42:15 2013
  HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=ff7e702a-a05a-47fd-8c14-551e81f9e9e3
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-10-11 (47 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 13.04 "Raring Ringtail" - Release amd64 (20130424)
  MachineType: Acer Aspire V3-571G
  MarkForUpload: True
  ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
  ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.8.0-33-generic root=UUID=5830b30e-69e8-4bb4-8a2b-bc2b43c7414a ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
  RelatedPackageVersions:
   linux-restricted-modules-3.8.0-33-generic N/A
   linux-backports-modules-3.8.0-33-generic  N/A
   linux-firmware                            1.106
  SourcePackage: linux
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
  WifiSyslog:
   
  dmi.bios.date: 10/15/2012
  dmi.bios.vendor: Acer
  dmi.bios.version: V2.07
  dmi.board.asset.tag: Type2 - Board Asset Tag
  dmi.board.name: VA50_HC_CR
  dmi.board.vendor: Acer
  dmi.board.version: Type2 - Board Version
  dmi.chassis.type: 10
  dmi.chassis.vendor: Acer
  dmi.chassis.version: V2.07
  dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAcer:bvrV2.07:bd10/15/2012:svnAcer:pnAspireV3-571G:pvrV2.07:rvnAcer:rnVA50_HC_CR:rvrType2-BoardVersion:cvnAcer:ct10:cvrV2.07:
  dmi.product.name: Aspire V3-571G
  dmi.product.version: V2.07
  dmi.sys.vendor: Acer

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