[ubuntu] clean up desktop

Hi Ubuntu-ers,

I know this question has been asked at least twice before, but the solutions posted don't work for me, or are otherwise not complete.

I have "links" to [home] and [computer] and [trash] on my desktop and I can't make them go away. someone said to type alt+f2 then gconfig then nautilus and i did that, but nothing happens. a menu shows up with stuff that I can click on, but it does nothing.