The ‘Me Menu’ will no longer be installed by default in Ubuntu 11.10.
An update to the indicator menus this weekend saw the ‘Me Menu’ (‘indicator-me‘) removed and replaced with an ‘IM Status’ section in the Messaging Menu.
Why has it gone?
Due to changes elsewhere in Ubuntu the Me Menu had become largely redundant, not least of which is the ‘System Settings’ panel now housing user account settings.
Moving the ‘Status Session’ to the Messaging Menu is also a logical move. Writing on the Messaging Menu wiki page Ubuntu’s Matthew Paul Thomas explains the rationale: –
“The messaging menu aims to make communication easier with other people. It does this first by letting you set IM status quickly and across messaging applications; and secondly by providing quick access to messages, concerning you, that you may not have seen.”
The Messaging Menu is structured to have ‘Status’ section at the top, following by ‘Application’ sections (Empathy, Gwibber, Thunderbird, etc.) followed by two new menu entries: –
- ‘Clear Items’ – This option removes ‘attention’ from the Messaging Menu by resetting the Messaging Menu panel icons to the default look. Message counts, times, etc. remain visible in the Menu.
- ‘Hide This Menu’ – clicking this launches an alert box “explaining the purpose of the menu, and how you can get it back if you change your mind.”
The ‘Broadcast’ field previously present in the Me Menu has been retired completely. To Tweet, dent or check Facebook the “new and improved” Gwibber is available.
And for people who think they’re going to miss seeing their name on the desktop I say relax: the Session Menu will display it.
(Cheers Bilal)