Re: [Usability]Desktop directory vs. hidden dir

[Gregory Merchan <merchan phys lsu edu>]

On Sat, Aug 03, 2002 at 05:21:25AM +0200, Ali Akcaagac wrote:
> hi,
> 
> i wanted to ask if there is a possibility to rethink the .gnome-desktop
> directory name. in my personal opinion this wasn't a very well choosen
> name for storing desktop related material. i am trying to describe here
> some practical situations where it badly fails. most of the time because
> a hidden directory was choosen as name.

I think this came up on nautilus-list recently, but I don't remember
what the conclusion was.

My solution is:
 - There is one screen-sized workspace on first use and it is the folder
   representing the directory ~/Desktop .
 - New workspaces are created by turning on a flag in a folder's property
   panel.

This affects some other things:
 - The background capplet is no more. On changes a desktop background the
   same way any other folder background is changed.
 - Some things you might find on the desktop may need to be omnipresent.
   Panels and screen-edge tabs solve this and also make these things easier
   to get to because you don't have to move windows around or "Show Desktop".

There are other details that need to be worked out.

Also, the foolish elimination of large workspaces should be undone, but
I haven't found a cluebat heavy enough to make that point. It doesn't
help that every other person I've seen advocate them misses both the
proper conceptual framework[1] and the aspect[2] which multiple screen-sized
workspaces will never support. The relentless campaign of obfuscation[3] by
various parties hasn't helped either.


Cheers,
Greg Merchan

1. It's not a matter of viewports vs. workspaces. If you make one
   distinction, you must make the other or else you are just calling
   the desktop by a funny name.
2. A properly done large workspace allows any window to be placed in the
   center of the screen while keeping it placement distinct in the plane
   of the screen and keeping sticky windows in the same position relative
   the hardware.
3. Everyone presenting the matter as viewports vs. workspaces is guilty
   of obfuscating it.