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Ubuntu sends trash to its desktop's desktop

Canonical takes transparent baby out of the corner

Canonical is shifting around the trash can icon on the upcoming Ubuntu 17.10 release, which might give some a sense of déjà vu.

Apple kicked off the trash in the corner trend in 1983, with an easily accessible icon for storing junk on its Lisa computer. In 1995, Microsoft added a "recycle bin" to the DOS replacement, Windows 95.

Moving on, in 2000 Apple unveiled Mac OS X and relocated its trash can to the infamous Dock.

Previously, Canonical had placed Ubuntu's rubbish on the Unity launcher or on GNOME shell panels, a spokesperson for Canonical told The Register.

Now, Canonical's Linux distro is placing the trash can (rubbish bin) icon directly on the desktop in its upcoming 17.10 release for October. Artful Aardvark is particularly notable because it (controversially) will be the first Ubuntu release that uses the GNOME shell by default instead of Unity.

On Tuesday, a Canonical developer blogged that the trash can't go on the GNOME shell's new Dock so will be placed on the desktop for default sessions.

Other distros – such as xubuntu – have a default desktop trash icon, but the Canonical spokesperson confirmed to The Register that this is indeed the first time it will happen in Ubuntu. ®

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