Some points/issues to discuss about the desktop

[Jeff Waugh]

<quote who="Mark Shuttleworth">

> >* Create a simple "first time startup" system (like Nautilus), and remove
> >the applets if the hardware doesn't exist on first login.
>
> This means that the applet behaves differently on first-time startup,
> which is a usability nightmare. It will also require custom code very late
> in the process.

Aware of that, and did say so.

> >* Use laptop-detect to choose between two default panel profiles, one of
> >which has battery+wifi. This might be the best shortcut for Warty.
>
> Many laptops don't have wifi.

Sure, but right now, this is a simple change which can limit the damage and
go some way towards delivering what you originally asked for.

> Seb, would it be possible for these not to display an error dialog, but to
> display an image which suggests that the applet is not needed, such as
> greying it out?

They don't display error dialogues, they just display a 'disabled' mode. The
wifi applet shows the "not available" icon (which is being changed), the
battery applet shows an exclamation mark and an empty battery graph (which
would require code and art to change significantly). It would be better if
they didn't appear in the common case, thus my recommendation.

- Jeff

-- 
linux.conf.au 2005: Canberra, Australia                http://linux.conf.au/
 
   "Science helps a lot, but people built perfectly good brick walls long
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