Desktop versus Workspace

[Joseph Krahn <joseph krahn gmail com>]

Why was the term 'Desktop' chosen instead of 'Workspace' for
describing the concept of multiple virtual screens? I generally think of
"The Desktop" as the application that displays device and file icons
on the root window. When switching workspaces with the Pager,
visible client windows change, but the "Desktop" view remains the same.

No matter what the nomenclature, the spec should probably define the
Desktop display as a separate entity from the window manager, similar
to the definition of the desktop pager. For example, there should be a
root-window Selection that the desktop display application should own.

I also think it would be a useful feature to allow switching of the the
desktop display as well, by allowing a dynamic specification of the
"desktop folder", defined by a string property. In general, people tend to
either use desktop icons and accumulate too many because it is always
the same directory, or they try to avoid desktop icons in which also limits
it's usefulness. A dynamic desktop definition could change directories,
or disable the desktop and show only a backdrop picture/application.

Joe Krahn