This morning, PackageKit checked for updates automatically, and then began to download and install them like I had configured. Half way through, I get this dialog:
Panic ensues. I close down all my half-finished code changes, save my drafts in evolution and work out how much stuff I have open on other workspaces that needs to be closed before the shutdown commences.
Of course, dialog was invalid, only the session sealert daemon restarted – but I was left wondering why it had notified me with the countdown with such ambigous wording. I don't even use SELinux on this machine, so what was sealert doing?
If it needs to reload, why do I get a countdown and dialog box? Just do it in the background without notifying me. Not cool.
It's just bad UI. At best it's the equivalent of a debugging printf left in the release by mistake. At worst it's the kind of look-how-much-work-I'm-doing showboating which used to plague free software apps. I'd wager that if you explained this to whoever wrote that dialogue, two weeks later the thing would instead have a notification balloon in the status panel. Which would also be pointless, confusing and annoying. – Chris