On Mon, Jan 24, 2011 at 1:03 PM, Bill Nottingham <notting@redhat.com> wrote:
Erik Blankinship (erikb@mediamods.com) said:
> > It is general policy that applications should go into the menus, not on the
> > desktop.
>
> I did not know about that policy, but I guess you are right -- no rpms leave
> desktop icons.

I suspect if many apps started to do it, it would become a much more
strongly documented policy against it. It's a bad idea. Future versions
of some desktops don't even *show* desktop icons by default.


While it might be against policy for an rpm to add icons to to the gnome desktop, sometimes the "ol' show just installed apps as icons on the desktop" makes sense for a given audience.  For example, we are making educational software for the OLPC XO and some teachers really like having an icon on their desktop once they've installed some gui software.  They have expressed their preference for this option.

So, with this in mind, I am wondering if there is a way for an rpm to create an icon on the gnome desktop.  If it is possible, could someone point me towards an example or some documentation?

Also, can someone point me to the fedora policy against desktop icons?  It would be helpful to see the policy so as to avoid other pitfalls.  Thanks much!