Great catch, Matthew.  This is the history I was missing on this whole
ordeal.

Bug 3200 is actually a feature request.  In it, the claim is made that
new windows popping to the top of of the Z-buffer is a inconvenient and
a security risk.  Well, obviously, the requester and I disagree on what
is inconvenient.  But, putting aside this subjective claim, I cannot
accept the idea that locating new windows at the bottom of the Z-buffer
(window stack) is *more* secure.  The bug history show no indication it
resulted in a feature change and I see no debate of the validity of this
security claim.

I don't suppose Z-location has much to do with security, ultimately,
since there are probably still ways to hide windows or launch window-
less applications.  But, if a new window is created, I don't think it
placing it below existing windows is a secure option.  Isn't it a
greater risk to be unable to see newly created windows?

Moreover, if a new window goes on top of the stack, you can at least
bring your last window to the top immediately with ALT-TAB.  Or, you can
lower the  new window down to the bottom with CTRL-middle-click (or
whatever is your hot-key for that action).  If new windows go to the
bottom, there is no recourse.  You have to lower, shade, or minimize all
the windows above it to see what happened.  Furthermore, there are three
Z-buffers, not one.  If you want a window to always be on top of new
windows that show up on the top of the "normal" window stack, you can
just set the "Always above other windows" option for that window.

I still don't understand the logic of this change in the slightest.

I've opened another bug, hoping to have an earnest, open debate.

http://bugzilla.xfce.org/show_bug.cgi?id=5581

** Bug watch added: Xfce Bugzilla #5581
   http://bugzilla.xfce.org/show_bug.cgi?id=5581

-- 
Xubuntu: newly opened windows are no longer placed on front
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/366683
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