http://askubuntu.com/questions/43246/how-to-configure-gnome-3-to-show-icons-on-desktop
http://superuser.com/questions/360059/create-custom-launchers-in-gnome-3
The easiest way to enable desktop icons is to use Gnome Tweak Tool. Run sudo apt-get install gnome-tweak-tool, then launch Gnome Tweak Tool from the Gnome Shell menu. It will be called Advanced Settings.
Then, click on the Desktop button. Enable the option that says "Have file manager handle the desktop. Now, any files placed in the Desktop folder inside your home folder should appear on ther desktop.
You can enable desktop icons in general, although it is a headache. To do it I had to download a program called "A tool to customize advanced GNOME 3 options", or "gnome-tweak-tool" if you're searching for it in your favorite package manager.
- In Advanced Settings > Desktop, turning on "Have file manager handle the desktop" gives you a real desktop to right-click on. The rest of the options allow you to add the My Computer, etc icons.
- In Advanced Settings > Shell > Arrangement of buttons on the task bar, you can add the minimize and maximize buttons again.
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To add an icon to your newly acquired desktop, you must (or almost always must) do the following:
- press Alt+F2 for the Run dialog box
-
enter
gnome-desktop-item-edit /home/YOURUSERNAME/Desktop/xx.desktop --create-new
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I created an icon to add icons (because that alone was tedious). Use the process above to initialize icon creation, then add it as the command.
Ta-daa, an almost functional desktop.