Data Transfer Feedback from NetworkStatus

[bbjimmy]

It would be very appreciated if the NetworkStatus replicant gave some indication that data is actually being sent or received to/from the network. I remember BeOS and Zeta both had indications of data transfer. In their case it was up/down arrows changing color to indicate data going- UP - or coming - DOWN - to/from the network. Maybe we could change the color of the green ball to indicate data sent/received.

Feedback to the user is always a good thing.

[umccullough]

Personally, I've never liked that feature (last time I remember seeing it in use was when I was still using dialup). Given today's heavy use of the internet, the blinkiness would pretty much always be constant I think, unlike a decade ago.

FWIW, Haiku does have an Activity Monitor which allows you to see, among other things, network activity.

[bbjimmy]

I hate having to launch ActivityMonitor just to see if there is any network activity. Since we already have a replicant that changes color and shape depending on the network status sitting in the tray, this seems like the perfact place to get the feedback.

[umccullough]

I dunno about you, but my machines are always in constant communication (IM apps, web browser with gmail open, IRC, torrents, etc.). I would only find such a thing useful if it also showed the bandwidth usage at any given moment.

Don't forget, activity monitor is also a replicant, and you can drag it onto your desktop. with only the network usage showing if you want.

[bbjimmy]

The ActivityMonitor replicant makes sence on my web server machine, but it is not convenient on my desktop as it takes up too much screen space and hides behind any open window. The tracker_shelf is almost always in view and already shows system activity and memory usage with the ProcessController replicant. Besides the ActivityMonitor keeps re-scaling the network activity and after several hours, even with good network activity, it is dificult to tell anything is actually being sent/received.

[axeld]

While there is already ProcessController, ActivityMonitor could be extended to be able to life in the Deskbar as well. I would find that more useful than having the same code in the NetworkStatus again.

bbjimmy: are you familiar with Window's network icon? Is that what you have in mind (ie. only show if there is activity, not how much)? That one is IMO pretty much useless, and more on the annoying side of things :-)

[bbjimmy]

I am very much aware of the Windows Network icon. This is always turned on on any Windows system that I use for feedback that the network is transferring data ... this is just like the blinking lights on a router, does not give much more than confirmation that data is indeed being transferred. A ProcessController replicant that lives in the seskbar would work as well as long as process controller is fixed to re-scale the network data down as well as up. Right now when there is sa spike of network traffic, the scale is adjusted, but when there is a lul in traffic, there is no adjustment the other way. Either would fill the bill and give the user feedback.

[umccullough]

I'm pretty sure Microsoft did away with that notification in Windows Vista and newer. At least, my work machine running Windows 7 no longer shows activity. If I want to see activity, I have to open the Task Manager instead.

[diver]

I remember there was NetPulse app written by Carlos Hasan which I used all the time on BeOS. Bbjimmy, I think this is exactly what you are talking about. I'm not sure it works in Haiku though (can't check right now), but I'd like to see it integrated and NetworkStatus looks like a logical place.

[kallisti5]

Before anything was moved into Haiku, we would need to clear up the license. I don't see any notes on what license NetPulse uses (in the code or readme)

[pulkomandy]

We have a NetPulse package now, which allows this.