How to disable Message center ?

[jigar_shah83hotm]

How to disable message center and 'Upgrade to Pro' notification on status bar ? I am using eclipse 3.3 and I use community edition of the software. I updated last night and these new things started showingup in status bar. Don't see any option to disable the same. Please let me know if i need to disable uninstall any plugin for the same.

[mpetersen]

Hi jigar,

We currently don't have a way for users to disable the message center. We'll be using the message center to give you information about important updates, patches, etc, as they're released.

Thanks,
Michelle

[bugmenot]

This is reprehensible. Why can't you let the users decide?

[b1uiaw]

I agree, it is too much intrusive.

[jigar_shah83hotm]

We already have less developer real estate.

[niconierenberg]

Of course the message center itself can simply be closed. And I don't believe the message notifications take any more space than the original status bar.

Just a note that the upgrade to Pro message will, of course, go away if you decide to support the project.

Nico

[jeremo]

I really don't see a problem with this, it's so minuscule that i barely even notice it.

They are letting you know of important updates. I'm okay with that.

Yes i think there should be an option to turn it off but also, this is "FREE!" software (if you aren't pro)

There are not many IDE's out there that offer as much as Aptana does for the cost they charge, free for many, a measly 99 bucks for the rest.

I doubt this little message is going to drastically impact peoples working habits, just train yourself to not look down there until Aptana deems it necessary to give you an option to turn it off.

I give 10/10 stars to Aptana for releasing such a fine product.

[Insomn3ak]

Yeah this is not a big deal, and it's certainly not "reprehensible". What IS reprehensible is for someone to complain about a tiny piece of advertising in their FREE software. You obviously don't realize (or don't care) how much time and energy goes into projects like this.

[b1uiaw]

The fact the we can't close this message bar IS a problem. You can put advertasing messages if you want, but we may be able to hide it, even if Aptana is a great software.

Anyway, I think someone will create a modified version without these messages. As you said, it is FREE software !!!

[Dromer]

Who says the Message Center will be used for advertising? Nowhere is it even hinted that this is the case. As far as I know it is just a service by Aptana to let you know about important news about the product, like bugfixes and new releases.
IMO, this issue is just a trivial one and calling the whole thing reprehensible an too intrusive is exaggerating.

[b1uiaw]

If it is not for advertising, please allow users to remove the "upgrade to pro" message.

For me, there is 2 different ways for Aptana to switch to a pro offer :
- Propose some nice functionalities in the pro version -> a lot of users will buy it
- Try to force users, with messages like "Upgrade to the pro". This way will fail. Users are not stupid, they visit the website, they know the features provided by the pro version. The business model of old sharewares if over, do try to make the same !!!

You think it is a detail, but do not under estimate it, it may be a blocking issue for number of users !!!

[bugmenot]

A lot of companies have played this trick, putting in "messages" or "collecting statistics" - only to be forced in to giving up. Consumers simply won't tolerate adware / spyware, no matter what you call it.

I'll also point out that Aptana now forces you to let it phone home, giving Aptana Inc. info on whose using it and when.

The best test for spyware is: Can I shut it off, and still use the product? If the answer is no, it means you're trying to force me. Which means that you realize that I don't want your ads, and you want to force me anyway. Can you say "ADWARE"?

[Dromer]

I won't claim to know what Aptana does and doesn't do under the hood, or to know the team's policy on user statistics and whatnot.
I'll grant you I too think that the "Go Pro"-notice and Message Center should be open for hiding, just like any other part of the IDE. However, the reason that I have for this opinion is mere consistency throughout the software.

You and others are appalled by not being able to close the Mesaage Center and all else that is the subject of this thread. Very well, your opinion and you're welcome to express it. What I'm appalled at is that you can't simply raise the topic in a friendly manner, but immediately start calling Aptana adware and accusing the team of forcing things at you.

Can you say "reasonable debate"?

[GSMD]

I'm thankful for the good product Aptana is, but this idea with message center and "No New Messages - Upgrade to Pro" totally sucks.
You should have carefully thought over your business model earlier.

[smoshiro]

Hi,

I disabled the message center doing the following:

1. Close your eclipse/aptana
2. Uncompress the plugin JAR file $ECLIPSE_HOME/plugins/com.aptana.ide.intro_0.2.9.17048.jar into a temporary directory (/tmp/foo)

Code: Select all

mkdir -p /tmp/foo
unzip $ECLIPSE_HOME/plugins/com.aptana.ide.intro_0.2.9.17048.jar -d /tmp/foo


3. Edit the file /tmp/foo/plugin.xml and comment the lines 7-19

Code: Select all

<!--
      <group
            id="com.aptana.ide.intro.messaging.AptanaMessenger">
         <location>
            <bar type="trim"/>
            <order position="after" relativeTo="status"/>
         </location>
      </group>
      <widget class="com.aptana.ide.intro.messaging.AptanaMessenger"
                  id="com.aptana.ide.intro.messaging.AptanaMessenger">
         <location>
            <bar path="com.aptana.ide.intro.messaging.AptanaMessenger" type="trim"/>
         </location>
      </widget>
-->


4. Repackage the plugin JAR file

Code: Select all

cd /tmp/foo
zip -rv9 ../com.aptana.ide.intro_1.0.0.003242-2.jar .


5. Backup the original plugin JAR file and replace with the repackaged one

Code: Select all

cd $ECLIPSE_HOME/plugins
mv com.aptana.ide.intro_0.2.9.17048.jar com.aptana.ide.intro_0.2.9.17048.jar.bkp
mv /tmp/com.aptana.ide.intro_0.2.9.17048.jar .

6. Start your eclipse/aptana (without the message center )

I tested this with my Eclipse IDE with Aptana installed as plugin but it could be work with Aptana bundle.
Also note that $ECLIPSE_HOME is where your eclipse/aptana lives and the commands are for Linux/Unix OS.
Adjust them for other OSes.