What would you prefer it do? That "new layer" is how it asks whether you meant to paste the contents of your clipboard into an actual new layer or merge it into an existing one (anchor).

The relevant docs for the temporary floating layer that's created on paste are here: https://docs.gimp.org/en/gimp-selection-float.html

I'd prefer it to paste into the current layer. If I want to paste into a new layer, I can create a layer before pasting.

Barring that, I'd also prefer it to surface anything to tell the user what's going on. Pasting subtly switches modes into a context where a lot of the UI isn't working right until you make a decision on what to do with the floating layer. That kind of mode-switch should be signalled loudly to a user. The signal Gimp chose? Two small buttons in the layer panel highlight green.

From the release note:

> Copying and pasting now creates a new layer by default rather than a “floating selection”, which many users found confusing. Floating layers can still be created with the “Paste as Floating Data” option for those who prefer that workflow.

so it's solved now.

C-v C-h

Kudos! Am a huge proponent of learning the most useful hotkey combinations for any software one uses even semi-frequently. Such a massive time-saver.

The removal of hotkeys and icons from menus was an act of vandalism.

You used to be able to learn a program by simply running the mouse across the menus to see the hotkeys and icons too.

PSA: It's not vandalism when it's the people in power who are destroying the nice things - that's called design.

Excellent! How did you find that key combo?

By an ancient and forbidden science: I looked.

(Not sarcastic.)

What I mean is: looked where? It's not in the popup tooltip when you give the button in the UI.

You're right. I looked again and... it wasn't there. Turned out to be a real doozy:

You know how pasting creates this special "floating" layer? While in this mode, the "Layer->Merge Down" menu command is replaced by "Layer->Anchor Layer" - which has the keybind. "New Layer" also becomes "To New Layer".

While I can see how it makes sense on some level, it's also a whole new kind of counterintuitive.

Yeah, that's mostly my issue with it. IIUC it's no longer the default behavior in version 3, so good choice on the team's part.

The problem with it is that we've had a good UX understanding of how modal behavior works for ages, and if you're going to do something modal, you need to make clear to the user that the mode has changed (especially to the naive user, who has no reason to anticipate paste enters a novel mode). The indicators that mode has shifted are too subtle: one is the buttons going green on the layer panel (which I think can be hidden at that point? I'd have to check), and the other, I have now learned, is some menu options changed. No dialog box, color switch, or text indicator to say "PASTE MODE: choose how this pasted data should be added to the image."

And when it's so high on the critical path of using the software (how long does the average user use an image editor before they try to paste something?), it's a huge hit to the overall experience and makes the user feel like this tool is too complicated.