I wish every extension developer would read this...

[sasoriza]

I am honestly tired of having to go through xml files to remove useless extension functionality from the admin topbar. I already have about a dozen extensions that each add their own element to the topbar. Without editing these extensions, my topbar would already stretch over two lines - this is ridiculous!
No, I do not need another shortcut in bright colors up there which will take me to the modules configuration! (Who comes up with this cr**??)

No, I do not want your transactions to be listed in their own tab when you could so easily just insert them into the sales tab.
And no no no no, I do not ever need a link in there taking me to your store where I can buy more extensions that will all cram up my topbar even more. No sireebob!

It is enough that every extension out there now seems to require their own menu in system -> configuration. No, we can not include it where it would perfectly fit in, let's make our own menu and let's name it something that stretches out over three lines and give it a nice logo aswell because our extension definitely is the most import one. Also be sure to give it a sort_order of -99999999 to make sure it is displayed at the top and messes up all the other sort_orders. C'mon guys, enough already...

[PotatoCommerce]

Completely agree. We don't add new menu for our extensions, because we respect our customers.

Hope Magento 2 will not allow to add items to topmenu. It should be regulated by Magento Connect terms. Extensions should be banned from Magento Connect for violations.

[dmcdaniel12]

Banning this would defeat the ENTIRE purpose of having a completely open source system. While I agree that it needs to be tammed down, there are some things that just do not fit anywhere and require their own space. 

Now, that being said, I completely agree that this system is very abused. People placing their stuff in the top menu, just to link to a config file is a bit rediculous. People also adding in shinny graphics to lead to a store, is also completely rediculous. 

Whenever I develop my extensions, I ALWAYS try to find a place for it in the configuration section. If it just doesn't fit anywhere, then I will create my own, but that is very rare. 

[moose]

This is annoying, but unfortunately is the nature of open source software. It's a simple enough fix to remove it from your menu by editing the .xml files.

Be careful of how many extensions you keep installed, and if it bugs you so much, don't support the extension developer in future.

[KuafuSoft]

LOL, yes some of our magento developers do that cr**, and 2 lines of  menu items breaks the menu.

Magento connect should ban the extensions that over self promoted.

[magesolutions]

XML is something what make everything systemize in magento. But xml is used for developer to read and understand it. If you are not developer, don't read it. The developer will decide what to do with back end UI. I think xml always exists and you have to read it if you need. I don't think we can require more than that

[A P W Trading]

totally agree no, exension should ever adjust the top line menu unless absolutely nescesary, 

We use 2 extensions which we allow to keep their top level menus

M2E for ebay and amazon integration

and 

Fishpig's wordpress integration

Everything else gets moved, and to be honest generally if i see a extension using top level menu when we are testing it, we don't often go any further in our investigation and it is dropped immediately, as it tends to be the first sign of a flakey extension

[f r i s]

Totally agree.

Too often extension "shops" hijack menu bars and configuration options to create mini-billboards with a mixed bag of links related to only their own extensions often with ugly logos embedded too.

What should drive the choice of menu option and where in the menu tree it should fit is what makes LOGICAL sense to the user, not what might be a great advertising spot to the extension provider.