new to linux, a quick question

[bstef]

I'm new to linux, infact I just started a class for it at school (I'm an IT student) right now. After installing a few packages without a package manager (yast), I was wonding if there is anyway to make a shortcut (or application link or whatever its call) for any given program you install to show up automatically on all users desktops and start menus(for lack of a linux term). For example I installed firefox to a folder in the /opt directory and found that i could drag and drop the shell command to the desktop to make a shortcut, or i could create a new application link on my desktop and point it at firefox. But what If i wanted that to show up for all users somewhere by default? Is there anything like the "all users" desktion winXP or the "public user" in win7?

[GregBrannon]

Try Googling 'linux default profile' or 'linux default configuration'.

[linuxforever]

You must not forget a few things.

With linux you NEVER login as root, but always as user.
This way your system is much safer.
You also install programs as user.
If you need root rights you will be prompted to the root password.

But in windows most people login as administrator and work this way.
Or do it as user with administrator rights.
This way makes the system most vulnerable to all kinds of mess.
And this is what happens on a daily basis.