On the original Macintosh, the idea was that you'd move files you're currently working with onto the desktop, then return them to their original folders when fi

On the original Macintosh, the idea was that you'd move files you're currently working with onto the desktop, then return them to their original folders when finished. The original Mac Finder even had a "Put Away" command to support this workflow. I believe this idea partially arose by analogy with physical workflows, and partially as a way to more easily work with related files spread across multiple floppy disks: desktop items remained visible when a floppy was ejected, and the system would prompt for the floppy by name if you attempted to access a file on an ejected floppy (ejected floppies themselves remained visible on the desktop until you dragged their icons to the trash). [Pedantically, the original (System 1.0) Mac Finder had a more general, slightly buggy "Put Back" command, removed in System 2.0, and finally replaced with the "Put Away" command in System 2.1. Source: past experience verified through testing at [1]] [1] https://infinitemac.org https://infinitemac.org