Canonical the makers of Ubuntu about to introduce a new desktop notification system proposal. New changes should improve the usability of the Linux desktop including desktop notification system for both GNOME and KDE. From the Mark Shuttleworth blog:
The key proposals we are making are that:
* There should be no actions on notifications.
* Notifications should not be displayed synchronously, but may be queued. Our implementation of the notification display daemon will display only one notification at a time, others may do it differently.That’s pretty much it. There are some subtleties and variations, but these are the key changes we are proposing, and which we will explore in a netbook device with a partner, as well as in the general Ubuntu 9.04 release, schedule gods being willing.
I think new changes looks more like Growl system used in Mac OS X. You can read more about proposal including mockup video that shows new notification system here.
You’re not alone with the comparrison with Growl. My primary home machines are OSX and have been using Growl for years. This ‘new’ system for Linux is nothing more than a conversion of that concept. Not to be sniffed at afterall Growl is brillant so it’s welcome on Linux, but I hope the blogsphere doesn’t get too wrapped up in the hype that this system is new, because we both know it isn’t.
You should be able to dock it on the toolbar.
Then you can pop open the current message and history.