Comment 244 for bug 332945

It occurs to me that notification changes should have been handled in the same way as upstart changes, the availability of ext4. compiz effects, etc.

In other words, do the work, enable the capability, but don't turn it on. Not yet. Certainly don't make it the default!

Get it going, then invite people to test it. For example, have something like both systems in place: The updates-are-available icon would remain *and* the new sliding black widget would appear - it would say something like "updates are available, as is a new notification system - click here to kick tires". (Obviously, this particular approach is half-baked - I'm just making the suggestion.)

It's an oft repeated but seldom fully understood development cliche: Prototype, then throw away the prototype once you know what you are doing. And Ubuntu will best thrive when it properly balances top-down dictates with bottom-up designs.

In this case, I think we need more prototyping and more bottom-up/top-down balance.