unity-design team mailing list archive

["Scott Kitterman" <ubuntu@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> On Wed, 2009-04-22 at 17:48 -0400, Scott Kitterman wrote:
>> So to get things started, I'd like to suggest Messaging Menu integrated
>> into
>> the systray via the new protocol as an Ayatana objective for Karmic.  To
>> assist in this effort, another community developer (I'll thank him by
>> name
>> after it works) is working on getting KDE trunk (the to be 4.3) running
>> on
>> Jaunty via Project Neon.  That should provide a reasonably stable basis
>> for
>> Ayatana developers to work with.
>
> I think that this isn't a good idea for the messaging indicator.  The
> principle reason for that is that the spec only deals with the icon not
> the menu part of the indicator.  If we took the current indicator,
> ported it to this spec, and then displayed it in KPanel -- the menu
> would still be a GTK+ menu.  Which is going to look... okay, but not
> really that great.

I missed the part where I said I thought you should reuse the current GTK+
indicator in KDE.  Please don't put words in my mouth. (Thanks Celeste)

The indicator needs to be on the taskbar.  Having it outside the systray,
but on the taskbar is going to look unintegrated and be unpleasant (I
don't have a battery widget in my taskbar because in KDE 4.2 you can't put
it in the systray and elsewhere is just too annoying and intrusive to
contemplate).

If you want an integrated look and feel, it needs to be in the systray.  I
do think the question is which systray protocol you want to use, not is
that where it goes.

> I think that we need to strive for a better experience than that on the
> *buntu desktops[1].  I think that the panels on both should be very
> tightly integrated and consistent, and I don't think we can achieve that
> using either of the notification area specs.

I don't think there is an alternative.  If it's not in the systray, it
won't be tightly integrated and consistent.  I do believe you need to do
your best with what's there.  Since the new systray protocol is in flux
for KDE 4.3, you have the chance to significantly influence the design in
the direction you need and so that's your best bet.

Currently KDE offers a tightly integrated and consistent feel for KDE
apps.  I think the question for the indicator is how to fit into that look
and feel.

> [1] We need a better way to refer to Kubuntu/Ubuntu that puts them on
>     the even footing.  Does that one work for folks?

That's what I've used for some time.  Additionally, I use the term
siblings to describe their relationship since they are built in parallel
on top of the same Ubuntu Foundation.

Scott K