Option to minimize update-manager to notification area when installing updates

[Jens Askengren]

update-manager is quite annoying when installing updates: The progress bar windows pops up at random times, tending to steal input focus and disturbs my regular work. I wish it could work in the background and only notify me about the important stuff like a failed update, or if a system restart is required.

== Use cases ==

Adam is busy at work when the update-manager pops up, telling him there are updates available. He choose to install the updates. Another dialog pops up, informing him about the progress of the download. Adam really don't care about that, so he minimizes that window. Thirty seconds later a third window pops up, informing him the progress of the update. Adam don't care about that either, so he minimizes the window. In fact, he is a bit annoyed by now, since these popups steal attention and input focus from the work he's trying to do.

== Suggested solution ==

When the user chooses to install updates, the update-manager window should go away completely and no progress bars should be displayed. Instead a icon (maybe styled like a progress bar) should occur in the notification area. When the update is finished, this icon goes away. Clicking this icon should bring up the progress windows.
If a system- or browser restart is required or the update fails, a popup is displayed.

This is much like the Eclipse run-in-background behavior, where every window that displays a progress bar can be minimized to a single progress icon.

[Vish (vish)]

To prevent update manager focus grab > Bug #391479
The design team has made a conscious decision *not* to use the notification area, there have been several bugs requesting the return of the notification are but have been declined.
The notification area icon is highly unlikely, *if you are satisfied* with solution proposed in the Bug #391479 , you can mark this as a duplicate of Bug #391479.

[Jens Askengren (jens-askengren)]

Bug #391479 is somewhat related.

This bug has nothing to do with the decision to pop up update-manager instead of displaying a notification area icon.

But my point is: Once I've clicked on "Install updates" I want the update-manager to install the updates without disturbing me any more.

Eclipse has a "Run i background" button for long running task that does not need user interaction. I wish update-manager would have something similar.
http://files.getdropbox.com/u/180523/run-in-background.gif

[Hercules_100_98 (hercules-100-98)]

I agree with the poster, having the update manager constantly stealing focus to tell you what % complete it is only creates user hostility towards it.

By clicking install updates, the user has done the right thing, but should not be interrupted until the updates are complete or need a restart.

Having the update manager retreat to the notification area, where the user can click on it to check the progress, if they are so inclined, is my preferred solution. Can someone point to any documentation from the design team explaining their reasons for not using the notification area?

[Przemek K. (azrael)]

Minimizing to system tray is a buggy behaviour of Windows which results in a cluttered system tray. This is against Human Interface Guidelines and should be avoided in Ubuntu. Focus grabbing is a bug that definitely should be fixed, but minimizing to system tray is a no-no.

[Vish (vish)]

Thank you for bringing this bug to our attention. However, a paper cut should be a small usability issue, in the default Ubuntu install, that affects many people and is quick and easy to fix. So this bug can't be addressed as part of this project.

- The present behavior is designed to not use the notification area. Hence not a papercut
For further information about papercuts criteria, please read https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PaperCut.

Don't worry though, this bug has been marked as "Invalid" only in the papercuts project.