HomeAsDesktop

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Nautilus currently defaults to $(HOME)/Desktop/ as the Desktop folder. It is however possible to configure nautilus to have $(HOME)/ as the Desktop. This specification is about having this as default. Nautilus currently defaults to ${HOME}/Desktop/ as the Desktop folder. It is however possible to configure nautilus to have ${HOME}/ as the Desktop. This specification is about having this as default.
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The users view of the data organization is currently split it two. The desktop is for most users the base of their personal data organization. When using a file selector opening and sving files however a level below the desktop is introduced, which is inaccessible in ordinary use. The users view of the data organization is currently split it two. For most users the desktop is the base of their personal data organization. When using a file selector for opening and saving files a level below the desktop is introduced, which is inaccessible in ordinary use.
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 * John is a routined Linux user but he is very bad at organizing files. By having everything on the desktop it's impossible for him ignore the problem and stuff gets organized in a much timley manner. As a bonus he is completley aware of what files he has in his home folder.  * John is a routined Linux user but he is very bad at organizing files. By having everything on the desktop it's impossible for him ignore the problem and stuff gets organized in a more timley manner. As a bonus he is completley aware of what files he has in his home folder.
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 * Sandra is a novice user who, besides web surfing, uses her computer to organize and store photos from her digital camera and from time to time create a document in a office application. When importing files from the camera she gets confused when she can't find them on the desktop. When sending files to friends with e-mails she get confused because the files in the file selector doesn't resemble the one on her desktop and she has trouble finding what shee wants.  * Sandra is a novice user who, besides web surfing, uses her computer to organize and store photos from her digital camera and from time to time create a document in an office application. She gets confused when she is importing files from the camera because she can't find them on the desktop. When sending files to friends with e-mails she get confused because the files in the file selector doesn't resemble the one on her desktop and she has trouble finding what she wants.
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Applications that assume the precense of a $(HOME)/Desktop/ dir has to be fixed. Applications that assume the precense of a ${HOME}/Desktop/ dir has to be fixed.

Summary

Nautilus currently defaults to ${HOME}/Desktop/ as the Desktop folder. It is however possible to configure nautilus to have ${HOME}/ as the Desktop. This specification is about having this as default.

Rationale

The users view of the data organization is currently split it two. For most users the desktop is the base of their personal data organization. When using a file selector for opening and saving files a level below the desktop is introduced, which is inaccessible in ordinary use.

By configuring nautilus to use the home dir as desktop all files the user has access to is availible from the Desktop.

Use cases

  • John is a routined Linux user but he is very bad at organizing files. By having everything on the desktop it's impossible for him ignore the problem and stuff gets organized in a more timley manner. As a bonus he is completley aware of what files he has in his home folder.
  • Sandra is a novice user who, besides web surfing, uses her computer to organize and store photos from her digital camera and from time to time create a document in an office application. She gets confused when she is importing files from the camera because she can't find them on the desktop. When sending files to friends with e-mails she get confused because the files in the file selector doesn't resemble the one on her desktop and she has trouble finding what she wants.

Implementation

Ship nautils with the gconf setting /apps/nautilus/preferences/desktop_is_home_dir enabled.

Outstanding issues

Applications that assume the precense of a ${HOME}/Desktop/ dir has to be fixed.

BoF agenda and discussion

HomeAsDesktop (last edited 2008-08-06 16:30:12 by localhost)