I’ll admit it. Until recently, I was a desktop slob. Despite my best intentions, the desktops on my computers were all jammed full, mostly with junk. If a program placed an icon there during installation, I never bothered to remove it. I typically would use my desktop as the destination for downloads, too. This resulted in an even bigger mess.
Recently, though, I’ve changed. I’m not sure what triggered it, but I’ve been on a tidy desktop kick lately. The desktops on both my work and personal computers are now pristine. Are my a freak now, or was I an oddball when my desktop was a mess? This trivial issue has me curious. How messy is your desktop?
On my iMac’s desktop, I now have three items. I have a “Clean up” folder, the channel changer widget for my eyeTV, and the slide-in drawer for DevonThink. The “Clean up” folder is a folder that older items on the desktop automatically get dumped into, via Hazel. Lately, though, I don’t even wait for the Hazel cleanup rule to kick in. If I see an item on my desktop, I deal with it.
Yes, I went from about 50 items on my desktop, to three. How many items are on your desktop? Do you think keeping a neat desktop really even matters?
Ronald Pottol says:
When I ran the wmx window manager, none (you can’t), and I liked it.
My desktop is usually hidden behind windows, I put nothing on it, but usually leave it alone. I don’t use what is there, that’s what menus are for.
February 27, 2012 — 11:31 pm
Evan Kline says:
Sounds like my work desktop, at least as far as never seeing it. I got it cleaned up, but it’s always hidden by program windows.
February 28, 2012 — 8:39 pm
Dan says:
On my current desktop, I have two “gadgets” and zero icons. I prefer to keep it sparse.
BTW, I have some kind of timeline of my various desktops throughout the decade (though it hasn’t been updated in over a year and a half): http://goo.gl/NHuDM
February 28, 2012 — 2:39 am
Evan Kline says:
That’s a cool timeline, Dan. Interesting seeing the change in focus over time.
February 28, 2012 — 8:40 pm
Tobias says:
Just one folder, which is concealed by using an invisible icon and a hard space as name. Not for security reasons, of course; i prefer a pristine desktop.
February 28, 2012 — 5:55 am
Evan Kline says:
Hmm, maybe I’ll have to use that idea to hide my icon. Then all I’d have is the widget.
February 28, 2012 — 8:41 pm
Terry says:
Items on my desktop now;
Mac: 0
PC: 3
February 28, 2012 — 6:24 am
Evan Kline says:
Now you guys are making me feel like I was really sloppy. Either that, or the other sloppy users are keeping it to themselves.
February 28, 2012 — 8:42 pm
Kosmo @ The Soap Boxers says:
The desktop is MY workspace. If any shortcuts or downloads go there, I move/delete them.
However, things that I’m actively working on go on my desktop until I’m finished. Freelance assignments and the like. When I’m finished, I file them.
February 28, 2012 — 10:32 am
Evan Kline says:
That’s what I’ve started doing. I used to create working folders on my desktop, with the date of creation as the folder name. After a period of time, I’d go in and delete the older folders.
February 28, 2012 — 8:43 pm
Gouthaman Karunakaran says:
I use the dock on Windows 7 for all my frequently used software. Currently, my desktop has just one icon – The recycle bin and frankly, I’m thinking of removing it as well.
I often use the desktop as a destination for my downloads, but move the files to their appropriate locations right after the job is done.
March 1, 2012 — 9:59 am
Evan Kline says:
That’s where my downloads go now, too, Gouthaman. It makes it easy to find.
March 3, 2012 — 3:19 pm
David@theOnlyCog says:
one — a shortcut to my Home folder!
March 6, 2012 — 2:42 pm
JohnP says:
2 icons. No dock or gadgets. There is no way to launch any apps using a mouse.
Years ago, I setup accel keys to launch the programs I use all the time and 1 that launches an xterm. Bash is the ultimate launcher after all.
March 8, 2012 — 1:27 pm
Alan says:
I just counted Seventy Nine out of a possible 9×18=162 small icons. My teenage son looked over my shoulder and said “Dad, that is a mess; clean it up!”
I have no use for the desk-top; except as a ‘permanent repository’ for ‘temporary files’ – oxymoron ;-).
I use local web-pages to organise all my applications and links. Maybe I could customise the Desk-Top to look like my web-page?
OTOH, my Task-Bar has 12 frequently-used progs (including my autostart index.html) and 4 + 9 icons in the tray.
Alan
The Web (Windows, Linux, Mac etc.) the way I want it!
April 15, 2012 — 4:09 pm
Evan Kline says:
Wow! Actually, that sounds much like my old Windows desktop.
April 17, 2012 — 7:40 pm
knev says:
Ijust keep the shortcut of the programs which i use regularly for my Administration Work
April 23, 2012 — 9:40 am
Lyn says:
honestly, i don’t wanna count! lol i guess i’m still a desktop slob for now but i’ve been dreaming of removing those useless programs from my computer. Hope i find the time to do so. great article, tnx for sharing!
April 29, 2012 — 1:56 pm
Tom Patrick says:
Hi, My desktop used to be in a kind of mess until I read a post about how a clean desktop may help you speed up your Mac. From that day, I realised how important is to clean your desktop periodically and make it look good. But now, I have trimmed the item on the desktop to 10-12.
May 8, 2012 — 4:37 am
Doug says:
I use a desktop app/enhancement called Fences. Ideally like keeping shortcuts of often used folders and current projects on my desktop. Fences is a great way to keep the shortcuts organized and neat. I’ve tinkered around with my desktop for 10+ years, but since I found Fences I haven’t had to mess with my desktop layout for 2+ years now.
May 8, 2012 — 10:16 pm
Amon Simpson says:
I haven’t had a cluttered desktop in quite a while. It truly does improve productivity, IMO.
Anywho, I use a little program called Rainmeter. My RAM doesn’t take a huge hit from it, and it gives your desktop personality. I also use a dock to launch my programs, called RocketDock. It is basically a copy of the Mac dock for Windows. There’s all kinds of themes you can download for both of these. I get mine from deviantart.com.
Sorry to go off topic there, but it’s a great thing to have on your computer. Recommended…by me!
So here’s my desktop!
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7105/7272124026_30b27c5fee_b.jpg
May 26, 2012 — 4:15 am