Installed ubuntu11.10, and found that you did not right-click the desktop as before to add a desktop starter, which is similar to the desktop shortcut function in windows. There is a solution for installing files through command lines on the Internet. However, permissions and other issues still occur. Here is a convenient and quick way.
1. Click the system button next to the user name in the upper-right corner of the desktop (where the switch is enabled)
2. Select "Start application"
3. Select "add" in the startup preferences"
4. The add Startup Program dialog box is displayed as before.
5. After setting the name and command (PATH), click "add" to add the initiator to the list.
6. Select the newly added one and drag it to the desktop.
7. Right-click the new starter and select Properties. On the permission tab, select -- run: Allow program execution files
8. Click the icon on the basic tab to set the desktop icon of the starter.
In this way, you can set a desktop startup Item (desktop shortcut) for ubuntu11.10 and modify the icon.
Thanks to the Ubuntu community...