Well, the discussion is huge, and so, I feel I should summarize most of
what has been said FOR sharing Desktop and home directory - I won't
summarize what's been said against because I'm a human, and I'm biased.

The proposal is to:
  * make the default desktop directory for new users equal to the home 
    directory.
  * make the default documents directory for new users equal to the home
    directory

What this proposal is not:
  * change current users' way of work
  * force everyone to eat the homedir as desktop with salt and pepper
  * force everyone to sort their own mess (I have mine, and I like it a 
    mess, many thanks =)

Points for:

- quicker access to data for users (*either* directly on the desktop or
  with the "Home" icon in kicker).
- easier to understand for newbies: Currently, they save a file in any
  application and they instantly see it appear, bringing a sense of
  tranquility and control.  Currently, they try to open a file in all 
  applications and what is the default directory? $HOME.
- take advantage of operating system facilities: a user's $HOME is
  customarily intended to save user data (visible) and per-user
  application data (hidden) -> FHS.
- reduce work: sharing Desktop and $HOME reduces developer and user work
  to code for two different cases and to decide where to store files.

Points against, and short rebuttals:

- "My users' desktops will get cluttered!":
    * so what.  That isn't your clutter.
- "My desktop will get cluttered":
    * no it wont.  You already have a separate desktop.
    IF IT DID by odd chance, there are five courses of action:
    * create a Desktop dir then relogin (see end of e-mail)
    * change your desktop location via KControl
    * arrange your clutter in a "Junk to sort" subfolder
    * live with the clutter (Yay!)
    * complain to KDE developers and say they're braindead
- "Apps put odd files in homedir":
    * apps should save user data in a visible way (e.g. Mail).
      Fix braindead apps which don't.
    * apps should save app data hidden from the user (e.g
      .mail/indexes).  Fix braindead apps.
    * core files shouldn't appear by default
      (most distros already do this).
    * newbies don't have bin/ or tmp/.  If you have them,
      you're not a newbie and you can modify your environment
      to suit new locations decided by you, or live with them
      in the desktop.
- "But what about the desktop metaphor":
    * metaphor flawed: a PC's desktop does not contain the limitations
      of a real desktop.  You don't have to bring a document to the
      desktop to work with it, and doing so would be an unneecssary
      complication
    * desktop-used users: They *still see* a desktop.  They might find 
      out during their dealings with KDE that the $HOME and the Desktop
      are the same, and they'll feel good.
- "The desktop isn't equal to the homedir"
    * logical fallacy.  Following the logical conclusion to applying
      this proposal, it would REALLY be equal.  Perhaps you need to 
      define more clearly what "really" the desktop is.
    * that's what we're trying to define, in the first place.  IF the 
      desktop should be equal, for newbies, to the homedir.

Practical guidance (Desktop=$HOME mini-HOWTO for KDE developers):

Set the default Desktop/Documents path to $HOME.  Since .kde doesn't
contain the old default desktop path, make it so that if Desktop or
Documents exist, they are used.  If they don't, then $HOME is used. 
This is perhaps a ten-line code change.  That way:
*  Users who already had configured paths won't be affected.
*  Users who already have Desktop and Documents directories don't get 
   affected.
*  Distributors who want to keep using Desktop and homedir separate 
   need only create /etc/skel/Desktop and ship.

 
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