The desktop background lies behind all of the other components on your visible desktop. The desktop background is an active component of the user interface. You can perform the following tasks from your desktop background:
Start your applications, and open your files and folders.
You can add desktop background objects for convenient access to files, folders, and applications that you use frequently. For example, you can add an application launcher to the desktop background. You can create a symbolic link to a file that you use often, then add this link to your desktop background. You can also store files and folders on the desktop background.
Open the Desktop Background menu.
Right-click on the desktop background to open the Desktop Background menu. You can use the Desktop Background menu to perform actions on the desktop background.
Work with Trash.
You can move objects to Trash and empty your Trash.
Customize your desktop background.
You can customize the pattern or color of the desktop background.
By default, your desktop background contains three objects.
Table 8.1 describes the functions of the default objects on the desktop background.
Table 8.1. Functions of Default Desktop Background Objects
Object | Component | Function |
|---|---|---|
 | Home | Opens a Nautilus window, and displays your home location in the view pane. |
 | Start Here | Provides an access point to some of the key features of the GNOME desktop. |
 | Trash | Opens a Nautilus window, and displays your Trash in the view pane. |