Ubuntu 8.10 applets not saving properties - sounds + NetManager

[Mihai Tanasescu]

>> Hello guys,
>>
>>
>> I've just installed Ubuntu 8.10 on my desktop PC at home, being
>> used to it so far only on servers and working just with the console.
>> So far, I'm having 2 problems and after reading and google-ing a
>> bit I decided to also ask here in hopes of finding better
>> workarounds. Currently there are 2 bugs which I've seen and people
>> have already reported:
>> - NetworkManager won't save any static IP setting
>> - Sound  Control Applet won't save my unchecked box Analog/Digital 
>> Output for my Audigy Card
>> (My speakers are connected via Analog..so no matter what I do,
>> after each restart the checkbox appears again in its initial state
>> and I have no sound..which is frustrating).
>>
>> So, questions:
>> 1. For Network Manager is there any more decent way for adding a
>> static IP, rather then using a script in /etc/rc.local with
>> ifconfig and route ?
>> 2. For the Sound problem how may I get it to work without opening
>> each time the volume control (or alsamixer ncurses interface via
>> console) and unchecking the Analog/Digital checkbox ?
>>
>>     
>
> I'm no expert.  I don't have any answers for your sound problems.
> However, all my network problems with 8.10 ended when I installed
> WICD, which removed Network Manager.  Using WICD I can connect to my
> static IP network (wired & unwired) or I can connect to someone
> else's dynamic IP network.
>
>   
Well to answer both messages here:

@Thorny:
My home setup includes a static IP from the provider but I also have a 
wifi usb stick in my home PC.
What good would in this case be to only be able to do roaming with the 
Network Manager. (when it has in it an option to add a static ip instead 
of DHCP for a network card..and I have 2 onboard).
I was able to make a workaround against this bug (I found it reported 
already) by doing ifconfig / route add default gw in a script and/or 
killing NetManager, but it's not the civilized way to go.

@Raquel:
I'm now giving WICD a try. From the screenshots I saw on the net it 
looks interesting and seems to be the workaround I'm looking for.
Thank you very much for your help.

Now what's left is the sound problem.
Here I can make a script to trigger the analog switch (instead of the 
default digital that the applet doesn't want to save) by calling alsamixer.

Is there a better way than what I'm thinking, until it gets officially 
fixed ?