Comment 11 for bug 1335492

Found what is going on: Desktop-Directory and Desktop configuration files are read concurently. Since desktop icon positions are not read at first, read files in Desktop-Directory are sorted default (top-left -> down-left). At some point at least one icon position is found (reading is concurent!) and then resorted. This leads to an event writing out the "new" positions of the icons, overwriting everything with new values. Since some icon positions where read before the icons where placed, these remain intact. Other icons where read before the icon positions where known these are sorted by default.
Result: some icons keep there places, while others are sorted by default.
At least one icon may be recognized as "moved" the icon position file is overwritten with the icon positions known by now.

This is a race condition: reading config-files races against reading desktop directory. Normally, with no load reading config files wins. But if some background processes are started this isn't true any more -- directory reading is faster, than configuration file reading with the result of resorted desktop icons.

The system shall make sure not to place any icon until it has read all configuration files holding icon positions. After these are know it can continue placing icons.