Re: [Usability] Notification area abuse has started...

[Mark McLoughlin <mark skynet ie>]

On Mon, 2003-09-15 at 15:58, Sean Middleditch wrote:
> On Mon, 2003-09-15 at 09:59, Reinout van Schouwen wrote:
> > http://linuxtoday.com/developer/2003091201726NWGNRL
> > 
> > Somehow we have to get the message across that the notification area is
> > for *notification* purposes, not for stupid gimmicks. If we don't stop
> > this abuse, the notification area will be like a windows systray nightmare
> > in no time...
> 
> This needs to be taken care of with a good API, IMO.  As I recall (yes,
> I'm not very informed on this ^^; ) the notification area is just a
> place for an app to place any generic widget.
> 
> The API needs to be super-simplified and streamlines, and only needs to
> do what 90% of apps are *supposed* to use the notification area for. 
> Apps that *really* want to abuse it, or have legitimate specific needs,
> can use the more advanced 'generic widget' API.

	Here's an initial cut of an API I was putting together:

http://cvs.gnome.org/bonsai/cvsblame.cgi?file=libegg%2Flibegg%2Ftray/eggstatusicon.h&rev=&root=/cvs/gnome

	The discussion on it was on gtk-devel-list:

http://mail.gnome.org/archives/gtk-devel-list/2003-April/msg00048.html

	(The thread went on a lot longer than the link points to).

Cheers,
Mark.