Desktop Background as an Application Launcher [WAS Re: Xfce 4.2 scope [WAS Re: dev FAQ?]]

[Lea Anthony]

Hi!

I'm new to the list so please be gentle :)

I've been talking with Brian and Moe about a system that we're setting 
up here at the college (Linux thin client). One of our hurdles is to 
make the system as easy to use as possible for IT-illiterate people. Our 
thinking is that if we could make the desktop background a kind of 
"application launcher" then it would make things simple for the users, 
rather than get them to navigate (read: FIND) them. We'd also like to 
use the background for showing current news etc. I'm keen on coding 
something along these lines but would appreciate any feedback on how 
this could be done and how it may fit in with the bigger picture. Icons 
aren't really the solution, but they could be an interim solution.

I welcome your comments.

Cheers,

-Lea.

Olivier Fourdan wrote:

>Well, desktop icons by itself doesn't make much sense IMHO.
>
>I have aplan in the back of my head, and it would be to make a basic
>file manager with icons (I mean really basic, simple, no fancy feature
>at all) and that file manager could put icons on the desktop.
>
>It would not compete nor replace xffm, just complement it for the users
>whe really want 1) desktop icons or 2) and icon oriented file manager. 
>
>Cheers,
>Olivier.
>  
>