[Nautilus-list] Desktop-organization

[Gaute Lindkvist <lindkvis stud ntnu no>]

One of the most common user-problems (very visible in Windows), is
that the user, after a while ends up with the whole desktop cluttered
with more or less useful cruft.
The user seldom thinks about removing the stuff that isn't needed, and
wastes time trying to find exactly the item he/she wants.

I have observed that grouping of GUI-elements in a window is a very much
accepted way of keeping things ordered and easy to find. The element I'm
thinking about is for instance the GtkFrame. Now, the same principle is
used in menus (menu seperators), and works very well.. it keeps things
more tidy and less chaotic.

Why not transfer this to the desktop? Using a sort of dynamic GtkFrame
around groups of icons, like "System" (Start Here, Gnomecc, Trash, Home
Directory), "Favourites", "Files", etc.. a whole menu-folder dragged onto
the desktop could also create a frame on the desktop. These could also be
made more distinct with colors, icons or whatever, for instance to make
the "Documents"-frame stand out.

If dropping additional items into a frame, it should of course try to
expand automatically.

This could probably be done with windows, but the windows should always
stay at the desktop-level, never on top of anything else, and should look
distinctivly more like groupings than windows.

I have made a rather lame mockup here:
http://skummelt.no/~monty/desktop.png

It isn't perfect, but it should give you the general idea.

Gaute Lindkvist (Monty)