[billybobsky]

Is there anyway to turn off notification side bar in OSX 10.8?

Because... fuck em.

b

[pscates2.0]

I don't know if the menu item/icon itself can be gotten rid off, but if you go to the Notifications pane in System Preferences and select the "None" alert style for each app, as well as deselecting the three checkboxes below (for displaying in Notification Center, badging app icons and playing an alert sound) that should disable any from coming through.

Again, I'm not sure if that removes the little "bulleted list" menu icon in the upper right of your screen. But if not, you can live with it if it's just sitting there doing nothing. But it's possible that disabling all the notification features for all the apps listed in System Prefs does make it go away, and moves the Spotlight icon back to its old spot?

Try it and tell us.

[billybobsky]

That doesn't work... What's irritating is that side swipe every once in a while opens the notifications side bar.

[pscates2.0]

Hmmm, interesting. Then I guess it's baked deep into the system and you're SOL. I don't know any other place that deals with, or controls, Notification Center.

There might be some Terminal-based stuff that does it(?), but that's not my bag.

Give it some time. Someone will probably write an app/patch/hack to disable and remove it. They always do. And if they get enough complaints and feedback, it may even be Apple themselves?

Do your part and let them know your thoughts. They listen.