defaults write ... / com.apple.finder.plist / DesktopViewSettings / etc.: Tiger-OS Mac OS X 10.4 e.a.

How to adapt desktop according to "personal" UI ideas in MacOSX-10.4 ;-)

All of the default tweaks listed here can be done via Terminal or via PropertyListEditor, an Apple Developer's Tool.
(Some -very few- of these tweaks may only show after system restart.)

# On my oldie iBook-G3, Tiger-OS 10.4.11, this is how you switch desktop icons to have 2 name lines:
  defaults write com.apple.finder FXMaximumLabelLines -int 2; killall Finder  

# Next, if you'd like to have icon text to the RIGHT on your desktop (BELOW= botm), too, 
  defaults write com.apple.finder DesktopViewOptions -dict-add PropertiesLocation rght; killall Finder 

# Now here's s.th. I "transferred" from finder's iconViewOptions to my desktop view
# You can define icons' (additional) grid spacing on your Tiger's desktop this way
  defaults write com.apple.finder FXLabelHorizontalPad -int [# of pixels]; killall Finder 
  defaults write com.apple.finder FXLabelVerticalPad -int [# of pixels]; killall Finder 
# For [# of pixels] insert a number - try lower ones first (3-10) as they rapidly add up with lots of icons ...


And some more tweaks definitely working on my Tiger-iBook. I owe these mainly to MathiasBynens' github.
(For reversal, swap "true" with "false" or "0" with "1" and vice versa.) You'll find hundreds of further settings for Safari, the dock etc. with him.

# Disable the sound effects on boot
sudo nvram SystemAudioVolume=" "

# Finder: allow quitting via ⌘ + Q; doing so will also hide desktop icons [Restart via dock icon.]
defaults write com.apple.finder QuitMenuItem -bool true

# Finder: show hidden files by default
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool true

# Require password immediately after sleep or screen saver begins
defaults write com.apple.screensaver askForPassword -int 1
defaults write com.apple.screensaver askForPasswordDelay -int 0

I also edited some graphic elements of Tiger-OS

Using ThemePark.3.1 I changed "Extras.src" so finder's windows corners are less round,
menus are a little transparent and the "traffic lights" are more cheerfully coloured.