Definition of "desktop background" in style guide

[Lars Weber <lars brokenbits de>]

[ Please Cc: me on replies as I'm not on this list! ]

Hello list!

I'm writing to you to get a clarification on the use of the term "desktop
background" as described in the documentation style guide at the following
location:

  http://developer.gnome.org/documents/style-guide/x3891.html#term-desktop-background

In the style guide the term "background image" is defined as: "The image
that is applied to the desktop."

The question now that came up in the context of bug 131289[1] is whether
this term really only refers to the background *image* only as it sais in
the definition or whether it's meant to also include the background
*colors* in addition to any (possibly non-existant) image.

If the term is meant to include both the colors *and* the image, then
another question that came up is whether there should be additional terms
defined that refer to either the colors or the image individually, e.g.:

"background colors": The colors displayed on the parts of the desktop not
                     covered by an image.

"background image": The optional image that is displayed on the desktop.

See bug 131289[1] for the context in which these questions arose.

Regards,
Lars

[1] http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=131289