[Bug 30100] CPU Frequency Applet doesn't allow changing frequency

[Celso Pinto]

Public bug reported:
https://launchpad.net/malone/bugs/30100

Affects: gnome-applets (Ubuntu)
       Severity: Normal
       Priority: (none set)
         Status: Unconfirmed

Description:
Following a hint that someone posted on
https://launchpad.net/malone/bugs/29709, I uninstalled powernowd to take
full control over CPU frequency with the CPU Frequency Applet.

After rebooting the computer, a message popped up saying that my
hardware didn't support frequency scaling. I know that the Centrino
processor supports this feature so after a few trials, I installed the
powernowd package again, started the daemon and restarted the applet.

Then I was allowed to change the CPU frequency. So after removing the
init symlinks for the powernowd daemon, I rebooted the computer and
after logging in I got the same message and no menu appeared in the CPU
Freq. applet. I removed the applet, started the powernowd daemon and
added the applet again.

I was then able to change CPU frequency. What I understand of this is
that the CPU Frequency Applet depends on the powernowd being started
before the applet or else it won't work.

Since the powernowd is used to throttle the CPU depending on it's usage
and I don't want that, the applet has a bug that prevents it's usage if
I (the user) choose not to use the powernowd and prefer to throttle the
CPU manually.