Re: $HOME as desktop

[Curtis Hovey <sinzui cox net>]

On Wed, 2003-05-21 at 20:32, guenther wrote:
> On Thu, 2003-05-22 at 00:01, Jason A. Pfeil wrote:
> > I've been following this with interest for some time and an idea just
> > cropped up.
> > 
> > What about a completely "virtual" desktop?  There is *no* folder for the
> > desktop.  Instead, there is a gconf folder under /desktop called
> > "desktop contents" and in there it contains a set of keys which are
> > paths to the files (and directories) that GNOME considers to be "on the
> > desktop".  There could also be a /desktop_sorting folder which contains
> > one key called sorting_method and then any number of keys which refer to
> > the files and directories for a non-alphabetical sorting method.
> > 
> > That way, there is no confusion between a physical folder on disk and
> > the "concept" of having something on the desktop.  Dragging something
> > from a directory onto the desktop would add that object into the
> > /desktop gconf folder and put it in the right order for sorting in the
> > /desktop_sorting folder, if necessary.  This would obviate the need for
> > worrying about the name of the desktop folder on the filesystem since it
> > was all internally generated anyway and would be handled by the normal
> > i18n translations.
> > 
> > Anyway, just an idea to toss out there.
> 
> Actually, that is a good idea IMHO -- except for the GConf keys. That
> may get really huge and nasty to change by hacking. And I do love plain
> text files for configuration.
> 
> That said, the idea is really how I see it, too. The Desktop should be a
> virtual place. I never want to store files on it. Links are essential,
> though.

You can accomplish the virtual desktop with Medusa.  All you need to do
is tag the desktop content with a keyword (emblems are synonymous with
keywords in nautilus) and just do a search for "keywords include
desktop".  I tested a rudimentary set of virtual folders on my desktop
by saving the search URIs as .desktop files and giving them folder
icons.  It works very well.

You can't do this yet in Medusa/Nautilus, but soon.  I've got a
keyword/filename defect to fix before Medusa is fully operational. 
Nautilus search is working, but the UI's display needs a good number of
fixes to display right  I hope to get this committed by mid June.

All we need to do to make this happen without the user having to manage
this a silent way to tag desktop items and update the icon display to
show search results.
-- 
__C U R T I S  C.  H O V E Y____________________
sinzui cox net
Guilty of stealing everything I am.