I never got that argument really. It can become messy. So can the desktop, or your home directory. But do you prevent users from storing a file where they want it because of that? Windows world went too far with any program and their dog putting an updater, or status icon in the systray - but in Ubuntu you have the choice of not putting new stuff there. For example, I've got an update notifier, power, network, dropbox and volume in the notification area now. How is this abuse? Why should I resign from having those icons there?
They've already done the experiment with removing update notifications from the notification area (names point at the irony here). Instead we got a system approved pop-under, 200+ people complaining in the bugreport and Mark saying something like: That's how it's going to be, now be quiet. It was the same for window button placement lately. And that's a reason I'm upgrading to Debian this time instead of 10.04.
but do you prevent users from storing a file where they want it because of that?
Then again, if most people aren't that concerned with the file hierarchy, then why foist it on them?
There's some new "pad" thing that does exactly that.
We'll see how this unfolds. I suspect that the UI of the iPhone OS has conditioned people to think of files and items as being "in" an app. I suspect that Apple will implement some way of sharing or transferring files between apps.
The abuse comes from random applications that like to sit in your system tray. Looking right now I just notice Akregator, an application I launched probably a month ago is sitting in my system tray. Pidgin also has something there. I can't tell Gnome not to allow those apps in the tray.
You're not convincing... If you're not using Akregator, why don't you close it? Pidgin has a setting in (translating into English - text might be different) Tools -> Preferences -> Show icon in the notification area - choose "Never". It could be argued that the default Pidgin behaviour (enabling the icon) is good, because many people expect only the icon, not the whole communicator to be visible while they work.
I shouldn't have to set a setting for the close button to close an application. I hate applications that do this becasue they defy my expectations when I use them. Pidgin may just happen to have a 'behave normally' setting. But not all applications will, and certainly they won't all have the same way to set it. I find that, in general, it's a better use of my time to avoid applications that do this, than try to figure out each one individually and make it behave the way I want.
Isn't the close button issue completely unrelated to the notification area issue? They don't depend on each other. Rhythmbox has the notification icon, but closes on 'X'-click.
They've already done the experiment with removing update notifications from the notification area (names point at the irony here). Instead we got a system approved pop-under, 200+ people complaining in the bugreport and Mark saying something like: That's how it's going to be, now be quiet. It was the same for window button placement lately. And that's a reason I'm upgrading to Debian this time instead of 10.04.