Adding FUSA reorganizing System menu (?!) is awful

[Dylan McCall]

Bug #343219 (which keeps being duplicated) seems to have been vastly
misunderstood, so it may help if I start a little discussion here.

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/fast-user-switch-applet/+bug/343219
"Adding Fast User Switcher applet causes shut down options to disappear
from System menu"

This is a case of well-intentioned design leading to problems, because
not all design turns out to be good design. It's a neat idea, but
flawed. That is what the bug report is about. Solid reasoning in that
bug report and every comment to it so far.

To sum it up, I think stripping the shutdown and logout buttons from the
System menu when FUSA is added to the panel creates:

      * A regression, as users will notice those options vanish from the
        usual (logical) place and be very confused. Remember that
        shutdown is a secondary function of FUSA. ("User Shutdown"
        doesn't even make sense).
      * A usability problem. Keyboard interaction is almost impossible
        with panel applets except the menu which has the Alt-F1
        shortcut.
      * Another regression, as FUSA fails to duplicate the options of
        System -> Shut down.
      * More work, potentially a regression as FUSA uses different
        strings for the shut down dialog box. (It may be too late for
        that)
      * Inconsistency. FUSA should trigger the same dialog we already
        have for shutting down. That way it counts down the same way (in
        10s for a while, to avoid distracting the user), uses the same
        strings and provides the same visual cues. The normal shutdown
        dialog is still triggered when the user hits the power button on
        his computer, regardless of FUSA being present.

Further, upstream's shutdown menu works just fine for everyone else. Why
do you guys keep tinkering with it?


I just had my tea so I feel a bit happier after writing all of that.
Err, keep up the awesome work! :)


Dylan McCall
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