#15 network manager icons

[Anonymous]

the current (2 grey circles with swirling line) icons for the network manager when it is trying to connect to the network is not good.

It it not descriptive. There is no way to judge progress being made, it just looks like a constant graphic with a generic swirl (which I associate with a computer pretending it is doing something). It goes from light grey to dark grey, but this change is almost invisible

The entire notion of 2 ciricles is confusing for new people, as it doesnt represent anything physically. Someone looking at the icon for the first time has no way to know what each of the circles means or what will happen after both go a slightly darker shade of grey

This is not the behaviour on mac osx, so is fine to change.

Suggested resolution:
Use a traffic lights paradigm.
There are three stages, so use a red circle, which changes to a yellow circle and a finally to a green circle. The circle should be the height of the panel (ie so it looks comparitive size to the rhythmbox or empathy icon). This will give a clear and obvious indication of progress, coupled with the idea of "go" when you are connected, which fits being connected to the internet. WHen the connection is complete, the green icon will change into the wireless signal image or the lan image, so the symbols wont have time to be confusingly in conflict with any others.
The swirling lines should be ditched. They do not represent real progress, but rather the idea that your computer is pretending it is doing something.