Re: NM tidbits

[Antony J Mee <A J Mee ncl ac uk>]

Derek Atkins wrote:

> Quoting Robert Love <rml novell com>:
>
> > But note that since, as Dan said, 'Enable Wireless' now turns off all
> > wireless (not just scanning) that point is already moot.  The decision
> > is whether to offer an option to turn of all wireless, an option to turn
> > off everything, or both.
>
> I think an "airplane mode" is important..  Clearly we
> want a way to turn off wireless..   I also think having a control
> to turn off wireless separate from wired is also important, but I'm not
> sure I can provide a good reason why I think it's important.  The only
> reason I can think is if you don't want to unplug the physical wire
> but still want to switch over to a different network infrastructure....

I have to agree with Derek here...

I would hate to see either of these separate Enable flags vanish. 
They are distinct actions.  

Firstly, I believe "dis/enable all" requires no further defence.

I also find it difficult to make a strong argument for the wireless only 
enable.
I imagine it should be possible to independently disable all interfaces
(future additions too), eg. auto-dialed PPP/GPRS connections or some such
ie. it may need working into a more general framework at a later date, but
please at least keep it for now!

Let's see if I can dream up some use cases as support. Dan's gonna love 
these. Perhaps:

  1) I work for the CIA or similar and wish to use a wired connection 
while on a spy plane.
      __surely__ that not-at-all-contrived example is in the set of 
use-cases for 0.6?

There must be at least one airline providing somekind of inflight
ethernet connection by now if only in 1st class? No? Virgin maybe?

A little more realistic perhaps:
  2) I want to use a back to back wired link while on a
       plane (I've seen this done several times)
  3) I want my machine on a wired network but wish to be 'discreet' ie. no
       wireless beacon packets / responses.

And one for the road (wait for it Dan... wait for it):
  4) I am somekind of  long-haired, peace-loving, tree-hugging laptop 
user (yet somehow don't have
      a Mac) and would like to use a wired connection but do not wish 
to add to the electromagnetic
      radiation that bounces round the room playing with my electrons 
and those of nearby friends,
      colleagues, trees and indeed everything (except dark matter?)!

tOnY

PS. Sorry it's 1am here and I am sick of the paper I was supposed to be 
finishing off. An easy distraction.