What is the new desktop 'Other' folder for?

There's a new 'Other' folder installed on my desktop, into which all the things I have saved ON THE DESKTOP for a reason, as to remind me, are now packed away in a folder, so I can't see them.

I don't mind that inconvenience too much, but whenever I go anywhere near the new folder, the Finder window gets resized/minimised into the corner and stays minimised - and the only way to undo that, is to resize and restart, which becomes a little bit tedious - can we unhook them from each other in any way?? Or get rid of the 'Other' folder without causing some other problem?

Thx