Netapplet

[Dan Williams]

Ok, I'll take them one-by-one...

On Mon, 2004-10-25 at 11:16 -0700, Nadeem Bitar wrote:
> I do not like the layout and the icons.

The icons are probably going to stay, and our UI guys don't really like
the layout as much either (the centered wireless networks heading for
example).  So yes, this may change in the near future.

> Also I like that with netapplet
> I can quickly access my connection information and I am able to
> configure my network settings if netdaemon wasn't able to do it for me.

What connection information do you wish to configure?  Do you use static
IP addresses for any of your interfaces?  The point of NetworkManager is
that you shouldn't _have_ to configure anything.  You don't have to
configure the wireless networking AT ALL, since what you do is choose
the wireless network from the menu.  You don't go to the config tools
and enter in your wireless information, _least_ of all your key since
NetworkManager should store that key after the first use, and you should
never have to enter it in again until it changes.

There is an argument for having a menu item "open config info" that
launches system-config-network if you have static IP configuration for a
card, but the fact of static IP is that you aren't supposed to change it
that often.  So if you don't change it that often, why have an entry for
it in the menu?  When we get dialup support, there might be an argument
for having a configure item for those, however.

> I also like that I have access to both my wired and wireless interfaces.

How do you mean?  When you only have a wired connection (no wireless
card plugged in), the applet will hide itself (somewhat debatable, I
think it should show all the time) since what can you do with your
network?  If you only have one network connection, that's what you're
going to use.  You don't need to be able to choose only one choice,
since that's not a choice.

If you have both wired _and_ wireless interfaces active at the same
time, then they should both show up in the menu, and you can explicitly
click on either a wired network ("Wired network" item), or you can click
on any of the wireless networks that show up.  There's really no point
in making the "Wireless Networks" heading clickable, since you never
"activate"/use a wireless device without connecting to a wireless
network.

Dan