Ok. I should say first that Linux and I are currently at odds. This is probably becasue I don't have administrator privleges on this machine.

Second...how do I create a shortcut on my desktop so I don't have to open a terminal every time I want to run a certain program, let's call it Mathematica?

Suggestions?

Drag n Drop

from where? I have to open a terminal---i can't get to the program from my desktop

Why not? Using Konqueror or any other file browser.

Are you using KDE or Gnome?

You should try PCLinuxOS, it's really fantastic.

It's a UNIX command, I think. Either way the file ``Mathematica'' doesn't show up on the file browser. I just want to know if I can make an icon that preforms a UNIX command, I guess?

Ummm, perhaps? I think KDE, because everything that can contain a K does.

On my desktop (Gnome 2.14) I can create a new link on the menu/taskbar thing by right-clicking on it, selecting "add to panel", "Custom Application Launcher", then browsing for the Mathematica executable or startup script. I'm sure it's something similar if you're using KDE.

I suppose you could also try creating a script on the desktop (type "mathematica" or whatever the command is in a text file called "mathematica.sh", and set it to open with xterm or another terminal emulator).

Third possibility that comes to mind: create a symbolic link on the desktop with something like:
assuming your desktop directory is "~/Desktop" and your Mathematica binary is located at "/usr/local/bin/mathematica".

Disclaimer: I'm no guru - I'm not sure what the neatest way of getting a shortcut on the desktop is.

Type "which mathematica" in a terminal window to find out where the command is located in the filesystem.

Ok that did it. Very nice. I also added a fish which tells me what version of linux I have:

Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS release 4 (Nahant Update 5)
Linux 2.6.9-55.ELsmp
18:20:46 up 6 days, 41 min, 1 user, load average: 0.09, 0.06, 0.01