Network Manager Docklet Coming To AWN

By , Published December 4, 2009

Avant Window Navigator, a popular dock for Linux, is going to be getting a shiny new network manager docklet.

One of AWN's developers, €œmoonbeam€, posted the following teaser on his blog. In it you can see the new docklet in action.

Of AWN and Docks

I haven't covered AWN on Omg!Ubuntu! much despite the recent release of the 0.4 version which comes with many incredible new additions, features and really great additions. I'll be rectifying that in the next few days however!

AWN was/is perceived by some, perhaps unjustly, as a gimmicky or novelty-type application than something like Docky €“ an application that may look cool and does some funny animations but offers no productivity enhancement. This is, in part, why GNOME Do Docky was/is so incredibly popular – it changed the way you interacted with your system.

All of that aside, AWN is maturing quite nicely and has certainly shaken off  lot of the frivolity that Cairo-Dock, as an example, suffers from.

As such i shall be salivating over the latest features in AWN as well as those features on their way in post tomorrow!

Btw, I used to be a massive AWN fan and here's a bit of proof €“ my desktop from June 2008!  

Article originally appeared on omgubuntu.co.uk

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  • jk

    what theme is that, in the 2nd image with the flock browser? thank you

    • http://omgubuntu.co.uk/ d0od

      Sorry, i really have no idea. It was too long ago. I really cringe looking at what i used to like though…

  • ninjapirate89

    What an unusual coincidence!! I just installed the new AWN before I read this, and then I see that your June 08 wallpaper is my current wallpaper!

    • http://omgubuntu.co.uk/ d0od

      I managed to wean myself off that wallpaper earlier this year. I used to use it on EVERYTHING. Even had a mug with it on!

      • ninjapirate89

        I use it on my PSP and on my ZUNE as well. Its a very, very, nice wallpaper! :D

  • Anonymous

    So does this version of AWN support notification icons? (eg rhythmbox minimized to tray, etc?) It looks like it does from the screencast :) If it supports notification icons and a network manager, then I’m sold!

    • ninjapirate89

      Yeah it does! I did notice that some of the other applets aren’t working yet though.

      • Anonymous

        That, and Intellihide. If it can dodge windows like Docky does, then I’m
        moving to AWN all the way! In having a minimal desktop, eg no panels, it’s
        hard to have something like this. Sure there are apps like trayer,
        stalonetray, etc. but these don’t really dodge windows and it’s kind of a
        pain to minimize everything just to reconnect to the internet if the network
        conn. goes down. So my list ultimately comes down to hiding functionality,
        network manager, themes, and system tray :)

        • http://omgubuntu.co.uk/ d0od

          From what i remember when i last tried it, it does have a “window dodge” function that “fades” the dock away etc.

          • Anonymous

            Nice! I’ll definitely have to give it another go, then!

          • ninjapirate89

            Here are the options for AWN’s behavior:

            Standard – The Mac way.
            Panel Mode – The Ubuntu way. :D
            Autohide Keep Below – Stays below any overlapping windows.
            Autohide Fade Out – Disappears whenever your mouse leaves the dock.
            Transparency – Becomes semi-transparent whenever your mouse leaves the dock.
            Custom – Doesn’t do anything as far as I can tell. (Must not be implemented yet)

  • Dominicik

    Nice to finally see some coverage on AWN. I’ve been using it on Ubuntu over Docky due to the nasty issue of Docky being veryyy slow (I hear it’s a Nvidia issue, with no fix set) and the mature ability to theme. Perhaps you could introduce us to some nice AWN themes? :D

    • Anonymous

      Docky was slow with me on Nvidia in 8.10, but in 9.04 and 9.10 it runs smooth as silk! What card do you have?

  • http://www.linuxmint.com/ Jimbo

    I’m a total Mac fanboy, and think the main reason Linux has yet to set the market alight is because frankly it lacks the GUI polish of OSX. But I think the Dock is pretty useless and have it set to auto hide on my Macs.

    As an application launcher it takes up too much space for something which is hardly used (I launch my apps in the morning and then keep them open all day), and as a application switcher is just isn’t as fast as using Expose set to a hot corner; as interface experts will tell you, the corner is the easiest part of the screen to get to with your mouse.

    I think if more people used Compiz to replicate the Expose + Hot Corner style interface they would stop using whatever GUI they currently use. It is awesome.

    • http://omgubuntu.co.uk/ d0od

      Coming from Macs before Linux the expose + hot corner is one of the first things i do when doing a fresh install.

      People always used to recommend screenlets to me, as well, and i had to point out that i alreayd use them… they’re just behind the F9 button!

  • Anonymous

    I don’t get the need for docklets. I just use AWN for the “small icons, no text” style window list.

    • http://omgubuntu.co.uk/ d0od

      Oh i’m a dock-a-holic. Docky/GNOME Do docky were far more astute than AWN/Cairo by only including relevant and useful docklets. AWN has a ton of really bizzare items for your dock like comic book readers and fortune crackers and… they just take up space and add nothing.

      GMail docklet, weather docklet, trash docklet all save me time. I can glance and see if i have e-mail, right click and see the subject or click to go go directly to it etc. Weather i can click on and get a full forcast RIGHT IN MY DOCK!! etc So it allowed me to ditch panel applets and screenlets and get a more simplified and minimal looking working environment.

      Having a tiny GMail notifier sat in my dock is preferable to have some whacking great poorly designed/half finished envelope screenlet taking up most of my desktop and getting in my way.

  • http://www.zoombits.de/handy-zubehoer/bluetooth-headsets bluetooth kopfhörer

    Hi,
    AWN is also in an extremely early alpha stage, so it’s probably a bad example to even bring up. But my real point is wow! It’s a package that’s actually available for automagical installation, that’s cutting edge. It’s an advantage a smaller distro with active package maintainers can bring. Is this so…