[Bug 278386] [NEW] KDE Network Manager in Intrepid is a huge step backwards!

[Adam Porter]

Public bug reported:

I'm running the Kubuntu 8.10 amd64 beta LiveCD.  I have Kubuntu 8.04 on
my hard disk and use it as my daily OS.  I can say without a doubt that
the Network Manager applet in Intrepid is a giant step backwards!  Let
me see here:

When I right-click the icon in the tray, instead of getting a list of
wireless networks that are available, I get "eth0: no carrier" in big
bold letters, and "wlan0" below that, and "New connection" below that.
If I click on "New connection" I still don't see a list of wireless
networks, only "eth0" and "wlan0", terms which are completely
meaningless to the average user.  If I click "wlan0" I finally get a
list of wireless networks, but they open in a new window, which wastes
more of my time and attention.  If I then choose my personal
WPA2-secured network and click "Connect and Save", Network Manager
closes that window and tries to connect, but fails of course, because it
never asked me for the passphrase!  So if I then (pretending to be a new
user) manage to figure out how to open the options for the newly-chosen
wifi network, when I click Next enough times and get to the security
page of the wizard (argh, wizards were decried years ago as poor
usability!), it hasn't even automatically chosen to enable WPA2, or
security at all.  I have to choose to turn on security, and then make a
blind guess at which type to use.

In Kubuntu Hardy 8.04, when I right-click the Network Manager tray icon,
I get a simple list of available networks.  If I click one, it starts
connecting to it, and if necessary, asks me for the passphrase, already
using the right kind of encryption.  It doesn't hit me with "ETH0: NO
CARRIER" in big letters, and it doesn't make me jump through invisible
hoops to get connected to a wireless network.  It's simple, and it just
works, like it should.

Is this going to be released as THE Kubuntu 8.10?  If so, it's going to
be a dismal shooting-in-the-foot for Kubuntu's reputation, and will hurt
KDE4's as well.  Why has Network Manager regressed and devolved?  NM
0.6.7's interface just needed some enhancing and refining, but this one
is...unbelievable.

** Affects: knetworkmanager (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New

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KDE Network Manager in Intrepid is a huge step backwards!
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/278386
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