NetworkManager

One cool new feature in Dapper is a neat-o little tool called NetworkManager, which is geared towrads laptops with wireless connections. It's not so useful for desktops, but on laptops it will be quite useful.

If you download a Dapper Live CD, you will notice a little icon in the notification area, which will either show some bars (if you have a working wireless connection), a blinking computer icon (if you have an active ethernet connection) or a little computer with a warning sign if you have neither.

In a nutshell, NetworkManager is a daemon that sits in the background and monitors your wireless/ethernet connections. It will automatically connect to wireless networks, and if it detects an active ethernet connection, it will automatically switch the wireless interface off and turn on the wired interface seamlessly and transparently. So, if you have a laptop that you bring to an office (and connect via ethernet) or connect to a friend's wireless network, it can proove quite useful. It works quite well on my desktop and laptop.