Questions[applet](ubuntu)

The application in question does some action (here connecting audio to network streams) and runs minimized if these actions were successful. Therefore a status icon is needed to display the state of the connection (e.g. CONNECTED/DISCONNECTED). Only when clicking the icon the application window will open to give access to further options.

Using Python 2.6 and pyGtk I conveniently realised this by using gtk_status_icon. I deliberately wrote the application to run on as many distributions as possible including the various Ubuntu versions. I took care to use possible dependencies only after the user had installed them.

However now I hear that gtk_status_icon will no longer be supported in future Ubuntu releases. Developers are asked to use Application Indicators instead. What is then best practise to make sure that:

1. The application's local icons are displayed properly
2. The application will still run and display it's icons in future Ubuntu releases.
3. The application will also run and display it's icons in other environments where indicator-applet, libappindicator, and python-appindicator are not provided.

Application Indicator fallback mechanisms to gtk_status_icon won't work if indicator-applet is not running. Python interpreters will not run if there was no appindicator module to import from. Do I need to develop different versions for different distributions or is there a better way to come around this.

Where do I find a documentation on how to use ApplicationIndicator other than in the example given in Ubuntu Wiki? What commands are provided to check if indicator-applet is running to avoid programming different source codes for Ubuntu vs. non-Ubuntu distributions?

Applets are small programs that you attach and start from the GNOME's toolbar. See picture: http://www.futuredesktop.com/audio-recorder/recorder-applet.ogv

My favourite applets are:

• rec-applet: Smart audio recorder applet. You can get this from Launchpad.

• clipart-finder: Find and download clipart to your computer. You can get this from the Launchpad.

1) Can I use these applets in UNITY as is?

2) What changes I have to make to applets' code (rec-applet and clipart-finder) to make them usable in Unity?

3) Where is the applet-specification for Unity?

Why Ubuntu uses the Indicator Applet? It loses a lot of usability, why made it when Gnome already have one?

Example

Without indicator applet: Application is in the icon tray Left click opens the application window Right click shows a menu related to application

With indicator applet: Application is in the icon tray Left click shows a menu with a few options related to application Right click shows a menu related to "indicator applet"

This means it takes 2 clicks to show the application main window, while before it need only one.

Why make something that already exists and is useful? Why change for something that no has usability?

There are currently 2 clocks on my panel: one in the "Indicator Applet" and one in the "Clock". The one in the "Indicator Applet" is redundant and isn't as good as the "Clock".

Does anyone know how to get rid of the clock in the "Indicator Applet"?

In the upper right panel there is by default a drop down menu where you can set your online status, interact with Ubuntu One, etc. It is placed right next to the drop down menu which lets you logout, reboot, shutdown etc.

For me personally I have no use for the online status menu, so I usually remove it. The problem is that it seems to belong to the same panel applet as the actually wanted logout menu, since that menu too disappears. I believe we are talking about the "Indicator Applet Session".

Is there some way I can hide or disable the online status menu, but still keep the neighboring logout menu?

I am running Ubuntu 10.04.