GNOME Panel Item : Window List Customization?

GNOME Panel widgets may not be in development any longer and the developers have denied any enhancement requests to the Window List widget such as only one button row, button max width control, and icon only buttons.

However, when a panel is vertical, on the left or right of the screen, the window text doesn't rotate with the panel, nor does it render top to bottom parallel with the panel. The text of the button cannot be read without making the panel wider, and then the other panel items are huge. Also, the buttons are still one line of text tall.

How impossible would it be to alter it to be as tall as the panel is wide and show only icons when the widget's panel is on the left or right?

I assume since the devs refused to do this it would be quite involved.

What package has the source for the Window List widget?