Not Just Trash Talk

The Ubuntu Dock, based on the much-loved Dash to Dock GNOME extension, is learning a few new tricks ahead of Ubuntu 19.10.

Developers working on the dependable desktop dock bar are adding the ability to display icons for attached devices, such as USB thumb drives, external monitors, SD cards, and MP3 players, just like the Unity Launcher does.

Code to support the presence of these items is currently pending upstream (hence it’s not available to try yet). That said, there is no major reason why the code can’t land ahead of Ubuntu 19.10, due next month.

Icons for removable devices and peripherals would house unmount and eject actions (where appropriate) in their respective icon’s right click menu.

There’s also some debate as to whether an Ubuntu Dock trash icon should be also be included (albeit optionally) — however, there’s a question of positioning.

To better ape Unity the Ubuntu Dock trash icon should be located at the bottom of the Ubuntu Dock, but the “Applications” button currently takes that slot.

Now, they could place it above the applications icon but that’s not ideal. It’d likely get accidentally triggered. Making it the last (or first, depending on how you look at it) item in the Dock is perhaps a better solution.

There’s also (currently) no support for drag and dropping documents on the trash can icon to instantly junk them, a very nifty feature I miss from the Unity desktop days.

That said the Trash icon would show whether it is empty or not, and support a quick “empty trash” action when right clicking on the icon.