Re: $HOME as desktop

[Sean Middleditch <elanthis awesomeplay com>]

On Wed, 2003-05-21 at 18:01, Jason A. Pfeil wrote:
> Hmmm...
> 
> 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.

GConf isn't the right place for a desktop setting, imo.  GConf is for
preferences.  That's it.  It is not an IPC mechanism, it is not data
storage, it is not a data workspace.  Just preferences.  That is all its
designed for; and indeed, some of its properties (such as no guarantee
that it will be writable at all) make it impractical for use with
something that needs to be able to change, like a desktop.  (even in a
kiosk situation, you need it - for things like cdrom/floppy mounts.)

The other problem is that the desktop can store files.  It's a
workspace.  I often drop temporary documents there, for example.  GConf
certainly can't store the 130MB PDF files I work with during the day at
work as I tag them, categorize them, publicly post them, and refile
them...

-- 
Sean Middleditch <elanthis awesomeplay com>
AwesomePlay Productions, Inc.