Version:            (using KDE KDE 3.2.0)
Installed from:    Gentoo Packages
OS:          Linux

(1) In earlier versions of KDE (before 3.2.0), the launch behaviour of an application was:

1. When we switch to the Desktop with the "show desktop button", and see the wallpaper, we click on an application icon, then KDE shows the usual "blinking" cursor, soon the application splash screen (if there is one) appears, then finally, the application is launched, and we move to the application window, which might be small, minimized, maximized, or whatever. If this application runs in a console, then a KDE terminal console appears, and the application runs there. The "Desktop" and its icons, background image, etc, are "still" there behind the application - this allows us to test that the application splash screen looks OK in front of the desktop, right-click on the Desktop to do something else, and so on.

2. This new application is also inserted into the taskbar at the bottom of the screen, just before the application is run.

(2) In the current version of KDE (3.2.0), the launch behaviour of an application is different:

1. When we want to launch an application from the Desktop as above, we switch to the desktop, we see the available icons, and click one, as before. Only this time, the "desktop view" suddenly changes to the *last opened* Konsole or other application window, from the list already in the taskbar. Kde displays that last window, and then proceeds to display the "blinking" cursor on top of it, shows the application splash screen (if there is one), inserts the new application name into the taskbar, then finally shows the application running. The "Desktop" view has completely vanished.

This is an *extremely* annoying behaviour that we cannot seem to fix by changing any KDE settings for launch feedback, or Desktop config. We want to be able to launch applications from the Desktop, by occasionally switching to the Desktop view with the "Show Desktop" button on the taskbar, as explained above, but *leave* the Desktop in view behind the new application! We will then want to:

1. See any other applications behind this one, and maybe click on another desktop icon.
2. Check that this application window looks good in front of the current wallpaper.
3. Click on the Desktop behind, and use the right-click menu.
4. And so on.

In summary, we *should* be able to run an application from the Desktop area, and *stay* at the place where the application was run from - in this case it is the Desktop area.