I don't understand my desktop. <solved>

[docnascar]

OK, this has been bugging me for a while and I don't get it and I'm wondering if I can make it the way I want.

The are a bunch of icons on my desktop created when I did a system upgrade many many many moons ago. It seems there were these icons/folders called temp, download, pictures, documents, videos, etc... automatically placed onto my desktop. Now all of these are linked to my /home folder. It appears the "system" automatically uses these folders. I guess this is the part I don't understand. Why is my desktop synced with the /home folder and why would the system use folders from your desktop?

I thought your desktop was your personal space to place anything you want to see or use visually.

How do I unmap my actual desktop from /home so it belongs to me and I can edit freely?

If I delete the folders on the desktop (like /home/tmp) it will delete this system folder, thus I'm assuming messing things up drastically because the tmp folder disappeared that it usually writes to.

[djohnston]

Is your desktop KDE?

[docnascar]

Yes KDE. Should have mentioned that. 

[Neal ManBear]

Without details, what are we to do? You want good answers, share all of the details.     

[docnascar]

Without details, what are we to do? You want good answers, share all of the details.     

What else do you want to know?

[djohnston]

I think you're looking at the folder view. Right click your desktop. Select Desktop Settings. In the left panel, select View. In the right panel, there's a pull down menu for Layout. Yours is probably Folder View. Change it to Desktop.

[docnascar]

I think you're looking at the folder view. Right click your desktop. Select Desktop Settings. In the left panel, select View. In the right panel, there's a pull down menu for Layout. Yours is probably Folder View. Change it to Desktop.

Man, its the simple things you just don't see! LOL That works. Thanks.

Now to learn how to setup my own personal desktop folders, get the trash can back, etc... I'll figure it out, just need time to play later. 

[Bald Brick]

I think you're looking at the folder view. Right click your desktop. Select Desktop Settings. In the left panel, select View. In the right panel, there's a pull down menu for Layout. Yours is probably Folder View. Change it to Desktop.

Man, its the simple things you just don't see! LOL That works. Thanks.

Now to learn how to setup my own personal desktop folders, get the trash can back, etc... I'll figure it out, just need time to play later.  

The easiest way to get a trashcan on a desktop-view desktop:

Right-click an empty space on your desktop.
Click "Unlock Widgets" (if they are locked).
Right-click the desktop once more.
Click "Add Widgets..."
Navigate to the trashcan widget and double-click it.