Definition of "desktop" - was a Usability topic.

[Pat Costello <Patrick Costello Sun COM>]

Jeff states: 

> But the desktop is the "thingy wot has icons on it"...

Interestingly, there has been low-intensity smouldering over the term "desktop" 
for some time. I'd like to refer you (and everyone else) to the GNOME Foundation 
statement on the http://www.gnome.org/intro/findout.html page, namely: 

o The GNOME desktop: an easy to use windows-based environment for users. 

This definition does not imply that the desktop is the "thingy behind the 
icons". This definition in fact implies that the desktop is the sum of all 
parts, in other words the complete environment. The documentation team have 
attempted to apply this definition consistently. The GNOME Foundation definition 
for "desktop" has some logical consequences. The foremost of these consequences, 
as far as the present discussion is concerned, is that "Desktop" is the single 
most globally-encompassing term available to us, not GNOME. Another consequence 
of the GNOME Foundation definition of "desktop" is that the "thingy behind the 
icons" must be called the "desktop background".  

Information for people on the gnome-doc-list:
---------------------------------------------

I've copied this mail to the documentation list, because a key terminology issue 
is now being discussed. You can catch up with earlier mails in the thread at the 
following location: 

http://mail.gnome.org/archives/usability/index.html

Pat