Public bug reported: notify-osd append each notify message to a log in .cache/notify-osd.log. Looking at the code I suspect this is for debugging purposes only, however, I don't seem to have debug turned on and it is still appending data to the log. I have examined this under the current Oneiric installation (with the current updates) and also today's Precise ISO image (15th Dec 2011).
This is problematic for several reasons: 1. I believe the logging is for debugging purposes only, yet it seems to be enabled and I'm using a standard release image 2. Each notify-osd messages causes writes to the log which causes extra unwanted Hard Disk Drive (HDD) activity. On an idle machine running on battery power this contributes to drive wakeup/write/power-down cycles which wastes power and reduces battery life. 3. Unnecessary writes to this debug log causes unnecessary HDD spinup/down cycles which reduces the lifetime of spinning media as well as for SSDs 4. On busy feeds (e.g. twitter, facebook etc) the extra logging overhead and wasteful. Since this log seems only useful for debug purposes it should be inhibited as default. ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04 Package: notify-osd 0.9.32-0ubuntu3 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-4.10-generic 3.2.0-rc5 Uname: Linux 3.2.0-4-generic x86_64 ApportVersion: 1.90-0ubuntu1 Architecture: amd64 Date: Thu Dec 15 16:17:51 2011 GtkTheme: Ambiance IconTheme: ubuntu-mono-dark InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Alpha amd64 (20111215) Lsusb: Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub Bus 002 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0a5c:217f Broadcom Corp. Bluetooth Controller MachineType: LENOVO 4287CTO ProcEnviron: LANGUAGE=en_GB:en PATH=(custom, no user) LANG=en_GB.UTF-8 SHELL=/bin/bash ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-4-generic root=UUID=40f4b6f2-3c98-46f1-96ee-4a7af137bbf6 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7 RelatedPackageVersions: xserver-xorg 1:7.6+7ubuntu7 libgl1-mesa-glx 7.11-0ubuntu4 libdrm2 2.4.27-1ubuntu1 xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.15.901-1ubuntu4 xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.99~git20110811.g93fc084-0ubuntu1 SourcePackage: notify-osd UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install) WindowManager: No value set for `/desktop/gnome/session/required_components/windowmanager' dmi.bios.date: 10/18/2011 dmi.bios.vendor: LENOVO dmi.bios.version: 8DET54WW (1.24 ) dmi.board.asset.tag: Not Available dmi.board.name: 4287CTO dmi.board.vendor: LENOVO dmi.board.version: Not Available dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Information dmi.chassis.type: 10 dmi.chassis.vendor: LENOVO dmi.chassis.version: Not Available dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnLENOVO:bvr8DET54WW(1.24):bd10/18/2011:svnLENOVO:pn4287CTO:pvrThinkPadX220:rvnLENOVO:rn4287CTO:rvrNotAvailable:cvnLENOVO:ct10:cvrNotAvailable: dmi.product.name: 4287CTO dmi.product.version: ThinkPad X220 dmi.sys.vendor: LENOVO glxinfo: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory ** Affects: notify-osd (Ubuntu) Importance: Medium Status: New ** Tags: amd64 apport-bug precise running-unity -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/904835 Title: notify-osd keeps on writing to .cache/notify-osd.log and waking up my drive To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/notify-osd/+bug/904835/+subscriptions -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs