Regarding the virtual desktops: They sadly remain useless since you can't have one program occupy multiple/all desktops. Any program can only ever be on one single virtual desktop.
If someone has programs open for multiple different tasks, and also runs a [ chat program/music player/calendar/email watcher/network monitor/temperature monitor/generic note-taking program/etc.etc.etc. ] on a second monitor (or if one's monitor is big enough, on some empty space there), then there is no reason whatsoever to use virtual desktops right now.
This is due to the inability to keep watch on any of these "global state" programs without switching between desktops, since the user now is forced to actively switch to look at them, instead of just being able to look to the left.
Is that still esoteric and unusual to you?
(Although windows that do not have taskbar entries do stick around, like rainlendar, or dumeter.)