The elementaryos developers have returned instead to the Mac OSX expose.... instead of having a traditional menu there are several windows of applications that can be opened by clicking applications and you can launch them from the given window or drag and drop them to the dock. Which is at least present at all times while GNOME 3's favorites bar is hidden by default. I think there is no question of which way to organize the desktop is the superior one.
That was a long read, made it to the end, but not by reading. Pictures would have helped. I was amused by this at the bottom: