Desktops redundant?

eric j

Does the average user REALLY need a desktop?



Surely many of us would be content to see a launcher listing our apps and a window showing our documents. Simply click on what you want - and go. All apps offer you the possibility of deleting files etc. No need for the trash bin etc.



Back in the early days of the Mac a desktop was an exciting and eye-catching innovation. The current OS X desktop is certainly beautiful, but IMHO redundant, - just a marketing tool.



Anybody else feel the same?



Peace



eric j

pscates

There's always 10.4.

costique

Desktop is a beautiful idea. However, seeing the unbelievable icon clutter on most people's desktops, I think it all sucks. These days we handle hundreds of files every day and so need something more than a special folder. We need a tool to organize our workspace. Better yet, we need a self-organizing workspace. We set up its behaviour in terms of search criteria and sort rules and then just drop files onto it. No more folders and superficial file system hierarchy. Since we work on projects/clients/brands/etc., it should be the natural way of categorizing files. "Where's that 7th version of the poster which I sent to some manager at company.com?" is the question your computer should be trained to answer in no time. Yes, you may argue that we must name our files accordingly. I do. Yet I'm sure that nowadays computers are powerful enough to do more intelligent tasks than finding a file by name. The more advanced you become, the more intelligent assistant you need. Not only to save your time, but to organize your life, to help you become even more advanced.



PS. Calculator.app in Panther is too slow and buggy, which suggests we should have a better use for our Macs.

buonrotto

We're beginning to see why Openstep didn't have a desktop...

ghost_user_name

Quote:

Originally posted by eric j

Anybody else feel the same?

Actually, Apple felt this way a few years ago.



It was called Mac OS X (Developer Preview).



The desktop then held no files. It would only hold aliases/shortcuts to your programs and files. People didn't like it. People demanded the traditional desktop back. That probably has a lot to do with why the desktop of Mac OS X still feels a little clunky and slow compared to Classic Finder's desktop -- it was tacked on as an afterthought and as a concession to people who couldn't let old habits die.



I usually keep my desktop as clean as possible. I have my drive icons, a "Downloads" folder, and a couple of aliases/folders to current projects.

ipodandimac

my desktop is 100% clean, and i only use it for temp storage of files i need to transfer/upload/move to an appropriate folder, but i clean it up as soon as something is on it. i dont even have my hard drive icon on there--its easier to hit apple-N.

aslan^

I use the desktop as a place to put files that I have to download in the process of my workflow. I dont like having to think about where everything should go when Im working so it just goes on the desktop. After Ive finished whatever it is I was doing, I file away the files into folders that are relevent to me so I know where to find them later.



An intelligent filing system that puts files where they should go automatically (properly indexed etc.) is a great idea but I think it would make a great application for after youve finished work. Call it "tidy up" or something.



A desktop, used in the same way I use it, is very much like a real desk. Everything your working on is on the desk easy to get to, then before you go home you put everything away.

gargoyle

I too use it as a temporary holding place for docs, but what would you have instead of a desktop ?

othello

but remember its a desktop, a direct correspondent to your desk. things you could keep on your desk:



-- papers (documents/files)

-- post-its (stickies)

-- in-tray (folders)



people make a psychological link from their desk to the computers desktop. not saying its right (i have a messy desk but a very clean desktop), but just how 'joe public' see's it...

buonrotto

Quote:

Originally posted by Gargoyle

I too use it as a temporary holding place for docs, but what would you have instead of a desktop ?

A shelf.

reg

I use to feel the same way. My desktop is prettty clean with only several items on it at the end of the day. I find that expose an elegant solution for me. I save what ever I am working on at the time then hit F12 and move on the the next project.



reg

chych

I find the desktop to become messy over time so I got rid of this problem by not using it; it's perfectly clean. Instead of the desktop, I made a folder ~/Incoming, where all my downloaded and temp files go, accessible from the dock. Hard drive icon is in the dock too, and cmd+n or clicking the finder icon in the dock brings up the window. I also have a button on my keyboard to open up a finder window.

stevegongrui

yeah, my desktop gets so cluttered so i made a system where I would have a Temp desktop folder on my desktop and i would periodically drag everything in there...



...except I find that after a month the temp desktop folder is a couple of gigs in size.







So I want to try to not use the desktop.



I vaguely remember there is an option to turn it off, but I can no longer find it. I still want my drives on there, just I don't want to be able to stick stuff there.

aslan^

Quote:

Originally posted by stevegongrui

I vaguely remember there is an option to turn it off, but I can no longer find it. I still want my drives on there, just I don't want to be able to stick stuff there.

Why dont you get your desktop how you want it then set your permissions to read only. Then you wont be able to save anything to the desktop.