So desktop will never improve ?

i'm also interested in it...
(installling a nautilus is not a solve... )

https://answers.launchpad.net/elementaryos/+question/215786#comment-19

Meant to comment, but can't seem to reopen.

@Adrian Cochrane :

I am not the only one to worry about the lack of feature of the elementary desktop folder.

But things evolve. Now elementary team is kind of struggling to totally get rid off of the desktop-folder from personal-folder system wide https://bugs.launchpad.net/elementaryos/+bug/1088260 and this seems to cause more pain than gain.

Moreover killing that desktop-folder will probably prevent any use of desktop relative "functions" (handling icons, shortcuts, links, actions on right click…)

Hence my question because it looks like elementary is trying to "break" some needed foundations for those crazy people which would appreciate to have a real desktop…

Yeah. This is crazy. And a symptom of a fundamental flaw in how communities such as this drives product development. Where is the customer..? A small group of people driving their ideas without listening to the voice of the customer. What I'd like to see in general is an open source organization that actually goes out, does voice of the customer queries, analyzes how the customer uses and would use the product, what tasks the user does and how he solves them, etc... Then we'd see some real improvements and I'm pretty sure desktop icons would be back!!!

http://www.yourepeat.com/watch/?v=DPd5mWaxkic
may be this is solution for you.
dconf-editor

@prosjektx

Customer or user… Choice of words is meaningful too in a free open source context. We - as users - did not buy any contract with elementary and elementary did not sell any guarantee.

So it's their right to get rid off of the desktop-folder - I'd just like to know from their "mouth" what is to expect about desktop in elementaryOS.

Then users are free to find where the grass is greener…

@bomboleilo

That WAS a workaround in older elementary version, like using nautilus instead of pantheon-files in luna… I would not try the same in freya as for the moment I assume the move to make desktop-folder disappear would bring more issues.

Ideal way would be an option for pantheon-files to handle the desktop and draw icons…

Daniel explained the design decision often. For example here:
http://elementaryos.stackexchange.com/a/15/37

Well… if he *often* has to explain that design decision he then might consider the decision was *not* so good.

Not the design in itself, but the now ongoing decision to remove any ability to improve desktop, or to let option(s) for users who might like to have an old-fashioned desktop ;-)

And telling it might take too much time and energy to add desktop functionality is quite funny / hypocritical in regard of the time actually spent on removing the desktop folder…

Desktop - bureau in french - is the place for work(s) in progress, isn't it ?

Maybe it is *often* because of people like you that repeatingly ask the same question beside it is answered multiple times?!

Funny pseudo arguments you have here. Obviosly there is and will be ongoning work in the direction that is desired design wise.

So anyway to help you with your files question, you can disable restore tabs with this command in the terminal:
      gsettings set org.pantheon.files.preferences restore-tabs false

I don't think I am the only one using desktop view as a place for work in progress - and once finished tidy up "the room".

"Obvioulsy (…) design wise" on a daily, intensive use at work (not at home) an empty desktop is not wise. It's a lack of feature.

What does "people like you" mean ?

Thank you for sharing the trick about restore-tabs.

"on a daily, intensive use at work (not at home) an empty desktop is not wise. It's a lack of feature."
Your opinion. Do you really think you achive anything when you claim that your view on what is apparently "wise" or "professional" or whatever is the truth?

"I'd just like to know from their "mouth" what is to expect about desktop in elementaryOS."
You know what the position of the team is now so...

Was I aggressive ?

Yes, empty desktop is a lack of feature, sorry. Calling it "design wise" won't change that.

I never pretended to "claim" any truth, it's just based on my daily professional experience where many devices running different linux distributions are used by many different people.

It seems an endless point : do you really think you achieve anything when you claim your view on what is "design wise", is the truth ?

Empty desktop is certainly a way to do things nicely but sometimes it's not enough…

…at least would you hear that ?

I would like to see desktop icons in eOS too and better power settings.

As a starter, a quick, interesting read to you, Elementary team, Seth Godin on the State of Apple's Software: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2016/10/hardware-is-sexy-but-its-software-that-matters.html
You have to do something with Apple software, right? You want to replace it. Which is cool.

> Customer or user… Choice of words is meaningful too in a free open source context. We - as users - did
> not buy any contract with elementary and elementary did not sell any guarantee.

Here's what Oxford Dictionaries has to say about 'customer': https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/customer
"A person of a specified kind with whom one has to deal."

Sorry Elementary team is you wanted other types of people as your 'customers,' aka. users, but you and your development model ended up attracting us; so now you have to deal with us as your user base or 'customers.' :)

On the monetary side of issues: the site suggests a recommended monetary donation
- Even before basic user's most basic questions are answered: https://answers.launchpad.net/elementaryos/+question/403231
- Even before said user have figured out if her display will ever be supported: #4 on https://answers.launchpad.net/elementaryos/+question/294863
Just saying.

Anyways, where's the community here? I understand you want to keep the direction of your design to be more tightly controlled than say, Linux Mint, but Linux Mint has a tangible and enthusiast user community. Maybe you want to build this 'just for yourself,' without thinking of, and consulting with a particular type of community or user base. But do you think this model will work out in the marketplace? Not necessarily in the monetary marketplace, but in the marketplace of ideas. I'm just a newbie, but don't see the community here, yet. Please, guide me!

Elementary team, you may be interested in checking this out: https://elementaryforums.com/index.php?threads/forums-purpose.2170/