[Ayatana] persistent awareness

["frederik.nnaji@xxxxxxxxx" <frederik.nnaji@xxxxxxxxx>]

hello list,

examples of persistent controls, persistent indicators are the new indicator menus in our panel, me menu, messaging menu, session menu, sound menu.

other examples are the network indicator, which is currently in the notification area, or the bluetooth indicator.

"persistent awareness of state, or an awareness of a persistent state" are the acclaimed goals of the ayatana subproject "indicator menus".

one state that is not persistently being indicated is activity. So far, Daniel Planas has designed mockups for a "progress menu", also known as "indicator for progress".  It should replace the transmission indicator, brasero indicator, file operations indicator from nautilus etc..

i remember having seen a download indicator in the notification area, put there by epiphany-browser.

all these icons can find a place in the Progress or Activity Menu, which Daniel Planas already has the mockups to.

In my understanding of the goals of ayatana, the indicators may change state, but should always remain visible.
With a persistent indicator for activity or progress, we can also see, when the computer is idle: very important state to be aware of!