Why does Gnome-shell replace the current gnome-panel.

[Apoorva Sharma <appi2012 gmail com>]

Right now, gnome-panel is an extremely customizable and useful application. Thanks to the many applets that have been written, it is getting better every month. Furthermore, many of the improvements that are being made to linux distributions are being made to the panel (i.e. the MeMenu in ubuntu lucid). Meanwhile, in gnome-shell, the new panel presents the user with an activities button, which opens the overlay, a useless indication of the current running application, a clock, a notification area, and a user menu.

In my opinion, the gnome-shell panel is a tremendous step backwards from the current gnome panel. It loses the customizability, the applets, and puts much of the efforts of current distributions, (i.e. ubuntu lucid's application indicators, the messaging menu, etc.), to waste. 

I don't understand why Gnome-shell doesn't simply use the current gnome-panel, with two modifications: an applet that works like the current Activities button (which sends a signal to open the overlay), and if needed, a current application indication. Is there something I'm missing, or a reason why we need to replace the current, functional gnome panel?


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Apoorva Sharma