can't remove applications from desktops

Why were you putting applications on the desktop?! Keep them in the Applications folder (that's what it's for). Use the Dock for shortcuts.

That 'symbol' you refer to is a disk image from the Skype application. Just drag it to the Trash to make it disappear.

Might as well explain what it's all about:

On a Mac when you download an app (usually as a .dmg file) you double click on the downloaded file to mount the disk image. This brings up a second icon on the desktop (which looks like a drive icon). Double click on that second icon to reveal the application you downloaded; drag the application to the Applications folder. Then just eject the disk image (ctrl+click>eject or drag to Trash) and delete the original .dmg file that you downloaded.

atom418 said:

Hi,

so...I have a macbook pro and recently I put several applications on the desktop: itunes and safari
now, i want to remove these applications from my desktop WITHOUT deleting them and reinstalling them

Click to expand...

Mac applications are basically self contained so if you want to move it just drag them off the desktop and into a different folder. For the most part it's best to install all your applications by dragging them to the "applications" folder.

It seems like you wanted to create shortcuts for your desktop. Instead of installing your applications on the desktop it's better to create shortcuts because it's pretty easy for someone else using your computer to mistake your desktop icons as shortcuts and delete them if they are trying to cleanup your desktop. The dock is my favorite place to put shortcuts. I have almost nothing on my desktop except for my wallpaper. I find it kind of pointless to have a good wallpaper only to cover it up with shortcuts.

To create shortcuts you just right-click your mouse or control click if you don't have a two button mouse. You then select Make Alias to create a shortcut for that application. You will know it's a shortcut by the little arrow in the bottom left of the icon. Now drag that icon to the desktop. Like in Windows you can always delete the shortcut/alias without deleting the actual application.

atom418 said:

another problem is i downloaded skype for my mac, and then i put it on the desktop
i didn't like it like that, so i tried to get it off the desktop
i ended up deleting it and reinstalling it, which is my first problem
i reinstalled it and now there's this symbol on my desktop
it's like a symbol you get when you insert a usb drive into the computer, except its blue and has a skype logo on it

Please help
thank you

Click to expand...

First you need to learn how to install applications properly by going here: http://guides.macrumors.com/Installing_Applications_in_Mac_OS_X

To install an application you have to copy it over to a place on your hard drive. Like I said above it's best to put them all in one place like in your applications folder and then create shortcuts/alias for all the applications you want on the desktop. You don't have to create shortcuts for the dock because one will be automatically created when you drag applications to the dock. To remove the shortcuts from the dock just drag them off and they disappear.