GNOME Bugzilla – Bug 771691
Show independent options to manage desktop icons
Last modified: 2016-09-20 23:25:20 UTC
Currently, GNOME does not display by default desktop icons and is only an alternative configuration, however, there are many uses case where nautilus is used to manage desktop icons, whose experience is not satisfactory. On the other hand, the desktop metaphor is deeply rooted in users and is available in different platforms, then: Why not improve the usability of this feature? Use cases: • Enabling desktop icons via gnome-tweak-tool in GNOME • Using gnome-classic-session or a custom session. • Using gnome-flashback • Using nautilus in other desktop environments based on GNOME, such as Unity or Budgie. • As a replacement to the default file manager in other desktop environments Actual problems: • The icon size can be changed only if you use icon view in Nautilus • they are not supported all icon view sizes (4 today) • There is no way to align the icons without losing the customized user organization • etc Possible improvements: • Personalized and persistent user settings (including options currently supported in the Nautilus icon view) • including so new features such as: - Automatic alignment of icons or custom grid - Align icons to the left or right - Increase font size - Separate desktop for each workspace - etc. • Remove legacy features (not yet find a reasonable use to the "resize icon") Nautilus has received great improvements in the last time and I hope they consider maintain and improve this feature for users who continue to use it. Thank you.
Hello, Bugs has to have actionable items, and one per bug report. A general "improve the desktop" it's hard to manage, although your points are probably correct. So this bug is marked as INVALID. On the other hand, no, we don't plan to improve the desktop part of Nautilus. The desktop part it's not something we are interested in much, since we don't consider part of the design we want. Although any patch or code from people to improve it will be gladly reviewed and merged if it makes sense and doesn't add complexity to the regular Nautilus code. We did the effort of splitting the code for that purpose, so people can improve the desktop further and we can improve Nautilus further without worrying about the desktop. It's not needed to report new bugs for those items, either someone who wants them will implement them and provide a patch with the bug report, or they won't happen for now.
(In reply to Carlos Soriano from comment #1) > Hello, > > Bugs has to have actionable items, and one per bug report. A general > "improve the desktop" it's hard to manage, although your points are probably > correct. So this bug is marked as INVALID. > I understand some of the reasons mentioned would be beneficial consequences of the requested change, but the report focuses on a single action reflected in the title: "Show independent options to manage desktop icons" > On the other hand, no, we don't plan to improve the desktop part of > Nautilus. The desktop part it's not something we are interested in much, > since we don't consider part of the design we want. Although any patch or > code from people to improve it will be gladly reviewed and merged if it > makes sense and doesn't add complexity to the regular Nautilus code. We did > the effort of splitting the code for that purpose, so people can improve the > desktop further and we can improve Nautilus further without worrying about > the desktop. > OK > It's not needed to report new bugs for those items, either someone who wants > them will implement them and provide a patch with the bug report, or they > won't happen for now. The latter sounds very dictatorial... If you want more reports are not written, they could better remove this feature.
(In reply to Bastián Díaz from comment #2) > (In reply to Carlos Soriano from comment #1) > > Hello, > > > > Bugs has to have actionable items, and one per bug report. A general > > "improve the desktop" it's hard to manage, although your points are probably > > correct. So this bug is marked as INVALID. > > > > I understand some of the reasons mentioned would be beneficial consequences > of the requested change, but the report focuses on a single action reflected > in the title: "Show independent options to manage desktop icons" Ah, the only thing really related is "The icon size can be changed only if you use icon view in Nautilus", all the other are not (even if they could be, technically are not) > > The latter sounds very dictatorial... > If you want more reports are not written, they could better remove this > feature. I must have explained really bad. Let me try to explain better. The desktop is in maintenance mode, that means no enhancements are done by core contributors (if they want, I would gladly review and discuss the patches, but so far they don't look like it) but we fix important crashers or misbehaviours. So my point was, even though I tell you to file a bug per feature, I understand that's time consuming and they will probably be ignored, so you don't need to do it, because in the last years, either someone appeared with a patch for an enhancement in the desktop, or nothing has happened. Is it more clear now? Also, no we don't think in removing the desktop, because it works as it has been working for the last years and we care about those users using it. Instead we spent a big amount of time splitting the code so each of them can improve in their own way (which took 3 months full time), rather than just ditch the desktop which would be 5 minutes.
And forgot to say, yes, I'm in favour of split settings between nautilus and desktop. But we don't have a UI for that. That would need discussion on how and where we would have those settings UI. Also more work would be needed to split the gschema for the settings of nautilus-desktop, but I'm pretty sure now it's possible with the split work we did. Also it would be needed to ensure the core nautilus code doesn't get much complexity, I would need to investigate that (or the person interested in it and then report back for discussion for better approach and see if it's doable)
(In reply to Bastián Díaz from comment #2) > (In reply to Carlos Soriano from comment #1) > > Hello, > > > > Bugs has to have actionable items, and one per bug report. A general > > "improve the desktop" it's hard to manage, although your points are probably > > correct. So this bug is marked as INVALID. > > > > I understand some of the reasons mentioned would be beneficial consequences > of the requested change, but the report focuses on a single action reflected > in the title: "Show independent options to manage desktop icons" > > > On the other hand, no, we don't plan to improve the desktop part of > > Nautilus. The desktop part it's not something we are interested in much, > > since we don't consider part of the design we want. Although any patch or > > code from people to improve it will be gladly reviewed and merged if it > > makes sense and doesn't add complexity to the regular Nautilus code. We did > > the effort of splitting the code for that purpose, so people can improve the > > desktop further and we can improve Nautilus further without worrying about > > the desktop. > > > > OK > > > It's not needed to report new bugs for those items, either someone who wants > > them will implement them and provide a patch with the bug report, or they > > won't happen for now. > > The latter sounds very dictatorial... > If you want more reports are not written, they could better remove this > feature. (In reply to Carlos Soriano from comment #3) > (In reply to Bastián Díaz from comment #2) > > (In reply to Carlos Soriano from comment #1) > > > Hello, > > > > > > Bugs has to have actionable items, and one per bug report. A general > > > "improve the desktop" it's hard to manage, although your points are probably > > > correct. So this bug is marked as INVALID. > > > > > > > I understand some of the reasons mentioned would be beneficial consequences > > of the requested change, but the report focuses on a single action reflected > > in the title: "Show independent options to manage desktop icons" > > Ah, the only thing really related is "The icon size can be changed only if > you use icon view in Nautilus", all the other are not (even if they could > be, technically are not) > I mentioned in general, to not list all of the features currently available in nautilus and affects the use of icons on the desktop (putting folders first sort by ..., add descriptions, etc.) > > > > The latter sounds very dictatorial... > > If you want more reports are not written, they could better remove this > > feature. > > I must have explained really bad. Let me try to explain better. The desktop > is in maintenance mode, that means no enhancements are done by core > contributors (if they want, I would gladly review and discuss the patches, > but so far they don't look like it) but we fix important crashers or > misbehaviours. So my point was, even though I tell you to file a bug per > feature, I understand that's time consuming and they will probably be > ignored, so you don't need to do it, because in the last years, either > someone appeared with a patch for an enhancement in the desktop, or nothing > has happened. Is it more clear now? > yeeah > Also, no we don't think in removing the desktop, because it works as it has > been working for the last years and we care about those users using it. > Instead we spent a big amount of time splitting the code so each of them can > improve in their own way (which took 3 months full time), rather than just > ditch the desktop which would be 5 minutes.
(In reply to Carlos Soriano from comment #4) > And forgot to say, yes, I'm in favour of split settings between nautilus and > desktop. But we don't have a UI for that. That would need discussion on how > and where we would have those settings UI. > So ... I have to write a new report ?. Otherwise it will be lost in time. My view on the UI is to add an additional Nautilus preferences dialog tab. It is generic enough to run under gnome-shell design (and access to this configuration from the desktop context menu) > Also more work would be needed to split the gschema for the settings of > nautilus-desktop, but I'm pretty sure now it's possible with the split work > we did.
(In reply to Bastián Díaz from comment #6) > (In reply to Carlos Soriano from comment #4) > > And forgot to say, yes, I'm in favour of split settings between nautilus and > > desktop. But we don't have a UI for that. That would need discussion on how > > and where we would have those settings UI. > > > > So ... I have to write a new report ?. Otherwise it will be lost in time. As said before, is in maintenance mode, so not much work is going to be done from our side. If you need to report a new bug in case you want to post it on bountysource or something like that for gathering someone to do it... please, go ahead.