GNOME 3.28 Removes Option to Put Icons on the Desktop

Megalith

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Starting with version 3.28, GNOME users will have to seek an alternative way to display and manage files and folders. According to developer Ernestas Kulik, the team is scrubbing the “desktop” feature because it is impeding the progress of the overall environment.

Devs are looking at alternative solutions to the task. A prototype GNOME Shell extension has been built that fills the gap nicely, showing app shortcuts, folders, and files appear on the desktop as normal (albeit with a few organizational limitations). But, for now, GNOME’s “recommended” alternative is to install and use Nemo, a Nautilus fork.
 
If you are going to remove the ability to edit desktop then you might as well have it boot directly into a file or application manager. What's the point of looking at a few random icons if you cannot add your own. It's worthless with no ability to customize.
 
I would imagine that any prepackaged distros would just include nemo in the default install list. If this feature isn't really tied around making a Window Manager, then sure I can see why they don't need to be the ones in charge of it. If anything maybe this will spur them to finally make a desktop that is useful. It's only been like 20 years since I could "right click, create shortcut" on windows, and an easy to use wizard makes it so that in a couple of clicks you have an icon. Want to drag + drop an icon from the start to desktop, Windows can do that. Want to right click on an icon you have on your desktop and run with elevated privileges, simple. None of those things are trivial in Linux. Maybe this will actually help steer that boat.
 
Another reason not to like GNOME 3.x in general. I always found it to be too awkward for my liking. For X11 stick with XFCE if you need a light weight environment. Cinnamon or MATE like DukenukemX said or if you want to play with Wayland use KDE Plasma which admittedly does take a little time to adjust too.
 
Its not for everyone but an iconless desktop is really, really good.

I started using Linux with WindowMaker and have been using Openbox for like 10years. If you can see your desktop you are not making use of your monitor for applications.
At the end of the day it is a convenience thing where people just save files there
 
Gnome and Gnome desktop development has not been relevant imo since they trashed the 2.x style. Same with windows since win7. At least with Linux we have a choice and can use anything with whatever design suits us best.

Best just say, this is non-news and no one really gives a flying F what Gnome devs do anymore. So many better desktop environments out there anyways for a very long time.
 
It's really a moot issue when there are so many DE's out there. Flame-baiting title, if anything.
 
I like it. I hardly use any shortcuts on my desktop these days. It looks cluttered and disorganized. If you don't know where you stashed something the search function is your friend
 
Seems like a waste of real estate to clamp down so much on it. At least it seems there will continue to be an alternative.
 
I put icons on my desktop even in W7 and it is easy because I remember where I put them, as long as it doesn't auto arrange them.

I hate having to use the search function just to start a program I could simply click an icon for.

Haven't installed a Gnome desktop since 3.0, always tried the others instead. This kind of thing is what I dislike about W10 also.
 
Don't know what the big deal is. I use Windows and haven't had any icons on my desktop since Viista, ~2008.
 
*Shrug* I would rather use the Ubuntu Unity interface instead, since it is easy to use, has an excellent link bar and easy to use search function.
 
Seriously who the fuck still uses icons on a desktop. What a mess.

Windows should do the same... anyone that has supported average windows users knows the pain of trying to help someone figure out what happened to some file they threw on their desktop and now can't find.

I am being completely serious almost everyone I know that uses Gnome turns desktop icons off.
 
Seriously who the fuck still uses icons on a desktop. What a mess.

Windows should do the same... anyone that has supported average windows users knows the pain of trying to help someone figure out what happened to some file they threw on their desktop and now can't find.

I am being completely serious almost everyone I know that uses Gnome turns desktop icons off.
People still use the desktop because it's a great way to organize your current projects/work. I use mine like an actual desktop. Things I am actively working on are currently on my desktop. When they are done, I file them in appropriate folders. In other words, I use it like I do my physical desktop. Losing the ability is a devolution. Having the option to turn off icons on the desktop is great, but removing the feature seems dumb.
 
I have 1 icon on my desktop..recycle bin..mostly because I can't be arsed to remove it.
 
That's the great thing about Linux. You can dump Unity or Gnome for Mate or Cinnamon. Choice is a great thing.
 
The first thing I do on a windows install is turn on the computer icon and on my MacBook Pros I turn on the hard drive icon.
I don't know if its nostalgia or what, but I have been looking at them for decades and the desktop feels naked with out them.
 
I admit, gnome use to be badass, the foot icon I loved etc. They did something back in the day (forget maybe) maybe they changed something significantly, I just recall being pissed off at them for a major change. This is fucking stupid, Reason I don't use linux is overclocking software sux, VM or virtual shit to play windows games sux (forget name), ohhhhhh - linux doesn't support my software raid for my z75 intel chipset and my vantec raid card.

Windows is simplicity and just works.

Fuck gnome and linux to the fullest.
 
So many brave no-desktop-icons users here. If only they had a choice to do so before this limitation. Oh, wait...
 
Shit move by gnome.
Linux fans boys will preach to pick another desktop.
Linux gurus will say RTFM and only use cli....
I say this fragmentation is problematic and killing Linux adoption.

Just imagine having to train helpdesk staff to handle ever desktop variant.
 
That's the great thing about Linux. You can dump Unity or Gnome for Mate or Cinnamon. Choice is a great thing.
And it's a crappy thing about Linux, since 99% of computer users can't be bothered to learn how to customize that. Most people can barely handle changing their desktop wallpaper in Windows or OSX. Uniformity is a good thing if you ever want something like desktop Linux use to ever get beyond a niche.
 
Shit move by gnome.
Linux fans boys will preach to pick another desktop.
Linux gurus will say RTFM and only use cli....
I say this fragmentation is problematic and killing Linux adoption.

Just imagine having to train helpdesk staff to handle ever desktop variant.


Presumably if you deploy it in an enterprise setting where you have helpdesk staff, you will have a standard enterprise image, and they get the desktop you give them, and that is that. Like it is today with Windows, most users won't even get local admin to their machine, so they can't change it, and the few who can (usually software programmers) will know enough to fix it themselves, and be told that helpdesk will onyl support he default enterprise image configuration.
 
And it's a crappy thing about Linux, since 99% of computer users can't be bothered to learn how to customize that. Most people can barely handle changing their desktop wallpaper in Windows or OSX. Uniformity is a good thing if you ever want something like desktop Linux use to ever get beyond a niche.


And most Linux users don't give a rats ass if it ever gets mass adoption or not. They want their own little tweakable niche. They don't mind selling its virtues to others, but if they have to choose between dumbing it down and spreading it, or keeping it small and keeping it customizeable, they will choose the latter every time.
 
This decision is really just silly.

There will be some people who don'rt want to put any icons on their desktops and they don't have to. They can just not put any there.

Removing the functionality buys them nothing, other than limiting the choice for those who DO want to put icons on the desktop.
 
Its 2018 and Linux doesn't have a desktop that can contain folders. Cool. Wonder why the year of Linux has yet to take off.

Don't want to deal with Gnome? Plenty of other options out there like XFCE, Budgie, Cinnamon, MATE, KDE and many others. But yeah "Linux doesn't have a desktop that can contain folders". :rolleyes:

I don't think this is a smart idea but they also aren't targeting the masses. They're targeting Linux users.

I'm in the boat where I may think this isn't that great of an idea, I don't care that Gnome is doing this. I don't put anything on my desktop and haven't in years. I used to hide it all on my Windows desktop too. I like a clean desktop with a beautiful wallpaper. When I'm at work and have to work on somebodies computer where their desktop is a shithole...it drives me insane.
 
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