GNOME 3: Get your Trash Can and Computer icons back

I recently upgraded from Debian 6 (aka "squeeze") to 7 (aka "wheezy"). Debian wheezy runs a newer version of the desktop environment, GNOME 3 (up from GNOME 2). With GNOME 3, certain desktop actions that users were able to do in GNOME 2 have been disabled by default.

Below are some desktop features removed by default that I find particularly annoying:

• No Trash Can icon on the desktop.
• No Computer or Home icon on the desktop.
• Right clicking on the desktop does not bring up a menu.
• Files in your Desktop directory (/home//Desktop) do not appear on the desktop.

It turns out that with a few easy steps you can add those features back to your desktop. Here is how:

1. Login to GNOME desktop.
2. Click Applications/System Tools/Preferences/Advanced Settings.
3. Click Desktop
4. Click to enable the Have file manager handle the desktop setting.

   This will restore the right click to the desktop as well as display files in your Desktop directory.

   Note that this setting must be enabled if you want to display the Computer/Home/Trash icons.

5. Click to enable Computer icon visible on desktop setting.
6. Click to enable Home icon visible on desktop setting.
7. Click to enable Trash icon visible on desktop setting.

With the above customization, GNOME 3 is a little more hospitable to its desktop and laptop users.