Explorer in Windows 10 has two different Desktop nodes?

[michail71]

I became confused today that the recycle bin was showing on the desktop but nowhere in Explorer. I wanted to remove the recycle bin thinking it was a shortcut. So I opened up the Recycle bin and went up one level. This took me to an invisible desktop that was then the parent of everything on the PC.

I found going into settings and showing all folders then makes this show as root parent in the hierarchy.

I know this is just semantics but it got me a little confused until I figured out how it was constructed. But shouldn't the root be the device, as in "This PC"? The This PC in the hierarchy appears to just be a filter group of things that fall under the user's account. The child desktop is just the normal desktop folder.

I suppose I'm over thinking it but the hierarchy just seems to be a little chaotic.

Why is Desktop the root node?
In real life who keeps a trash can on their desktop? Most people keep it under their desktop.

 

[Southgarden116]

It has always been like this. In Explorer, if you go to the parent, you land on Desktop, but in the hierarchy, you can see Desktop as a child node of This PC. Always have been strange to me, but that's not something new in Windows 10, if that's what you think. But yes, they should change that in my opinion. I didn't get your last sentence. The trash icon is on the desktop on default since forever and most users don't change that, as they don't know how or simply just don't care. In the Desktop Icon Settings you can hide/show the recycle bin on your desktop. The location itself is hidden.

 

[travis_valkyrie]

They are two different things. It's like Desktop is just another directory where the user can store their files, more like an "open folder" for both user and system to use.

 

[michail71]

It has always been like this. In Explorer, if you go to the parent, you land on Desktop, but in the hierarchy, you can see Desktop as a child node of This PC. Always have been strange to me, but that's not something new in Windows 10, if that's what you think. But yes, they should change that in my opinion. I didn't get your last sentence. The trash icon is on the desktop on default since forever and most users don't change that, as they don't know how or simply just don't care. In the Desktop Icon Settings you can hide/show the recycle bin on your desktop. The location itself is hidden.

I'm actually scrutinizing things a bit more since I'm testing it out. So I must have just never noticed that before. Other people had submitted it in feedback as well.

I found if you do unchecked show all folders and hide desktop icons there is no way to see the recycle bin other than typing it in the location box.

I think the fist time I saw anything like that on the desktop was way back on the original black and white mac. So I guess it has been there forever.

I'm experimenting keeping my desktop a clean canvas for applications and using start and proper file location storage.

 

[travis_valkyrie]

I'm actually scrutinizing things a bit more since I'm testing it out. So I must have just never noticed that before. Other people had submitted it in feedback as well.

I found if you do unchecked show all folders and hide desktop icons there is no way to see the recycle bin other than typing it in the location box.

I think the fist time I saw anything like that on the desktop was way back on the original black and white mac. So I guess it has been there forever.

I'm experimenting keeping my desktop a clean canvas for applications and using start and proper file location storage.

I've actually started using a clean desktop since windows XP. The easiest way to get to the recycle bin is if you pin it to the taskbar, or have it saved as a quick link or favorite on the navigation pane on the left. It makes it a little difficult to get there, but it keeps everything organized and tidy. Reason why I did this was because if the mostly used programs can be pinned to the taskbar or start menu, why would I also want then on the desktop? Removing desktop icons makes your screen pleasant to look at without the static icons blocking your wallpaper (or dreamscene in Vista, this was really good).

 

[michail71]

My thinking too. I view the desktop as more of an application canvas. In the past it's been a bit of a dumping grounds.

But no matter how far we go back in the windows versions, it just seems weird to have Desktop be the root and not "This PC" or "My Computer".