Maybe I've found the reason for that "feature". On my system I've installed ubuntu with a near complete kubuntu set of packages (so it is a gnome+kde system), my desktop is KDE. I found that in my root dir there's a symbolic link named ".hidden" that points to "/etc/kubuntu-default-settings/hidden-root". Deleting or renaming this file make my system behave as expected letting me browse my filesystem freely (without checking the "show hidden files" on the various browsers). The file "/etc/kubuntu-default-settings/hidden-root" contains a list of directories "obscured". Don't ask me how this can interfere with Gnome or GTK+, really don't know.... All those settings were put in the "kubuntu-default-settings" package.
** Attachment added: "The Gimp "Open File" Dialog as it appears" http://librarian.launchpad.net/4921322/gimp_nohiddenfiles.png -- [edgy] Can't show root (/) in gtk file chooser after update to edgy https://launchpad.net/bugs/67314 -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs
