The options were changed for dapper and the patch got dropped with the update to gaim 2.0, that upload changed them for edgy too:
gaim (1:2.0.0+beta3.1-1ubuntu9) edgy; urgency=low . * debian/prefs.xml: - stop the flashing effect when the window get the focus or is clicked (Ubuntu: #64518) ** Changed in: gaim (Ubuntu) Status: Rejected => Fix Released -- Taskbar flashes unessacaerily https://launchpad.net/bugs/64518 -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs