Ubuntu 10.04 Normal Gnome desktop - single click to open items

I have a couple of files on my desktop which I wish to delete. I Ctrl-and click on each file to select. They are now highlighted. Shift-Del to delete.

Works fine UNLESS I have another app open and it has focus. In this case I must first click on the Desktop and then select the items. It appears that selecting an item on the Desktop cannot take focus away from an application window. Does this make sense?

TIA,

Ken

If you mean the desktop behind a non-maximized window not taking the focus away from the window it is normal Ubuntu behavior. You have to minimize the window to have access to the desktop. That said, minimizing the window shouldn't be all that hard (either click its switcher button [twice if you have more than one window open and it's not the window you're currently using] or click the minimize button on the top left of the window).

Thanks Kenny_Strawn but that is not exactly what I am trying to describe.

Left clicking on the Desktop behind the non-minimized window WILL take the focus away from the window. Left clicking on an object on the Desktop behind the non-minimized window will open the object in its associated application and the application will have focus. Ctrl-Left Click on an object on the Desktop behind the non-minimized window will not take focus away from the window.

I do not have to minimize the window to get focus away from it. If I Left click on the desktop focus disappears from the window and I guess is implicitly given to the Desktop.

Ken