Desktop as Nautilus

[TRANS <transfire gmail com>]

Hi. I'm new to the list. I have had this idea in the back of my mind
for a while and I thought it was about time I share it and see what
others think.

I point out that this is in consideration of how GNU/Linux via Gnome
can differentiate and innovate beyond the other options out there.

My idea is this. I would really like it if my Desktop actually were
the File Browser. In other words instead of having a seperate Desktop/
directory in my home directory, the desktop could actually reflect my
home directory (or any other defaut directory I tell it too for that
matter), but more that this, to be able to navigate thru the file
heirarchy like one normally does with Nautilus, but without the need
for a seperate window. An optional split pane mode would also be
useful in this design (like MC). And if you want to go a step further,
some cool transition effects between directory changes ;-)

To me this would be a much more natural way of working with my system.
Just by hitting the Desktop icon on my toolbar, up pops file
naviagtion (is there a shorcut key sequence for that btw?).
Application windows reside on top of all that, making it qucik and
easy to go back and forth. Plus workspaces would then each have their
on independent current directory. I think that would make workspaces
more intuitive and useful too.

What do others think?

Trans.

(P.S. I assume this is the right mialing list for this. Please correct
me if I'm wrong about that.)