Hi! I'm new with Linux & just installed Mint with KDE 4.7.4, 64-bit. This is a beautiful OS, but I'm worried that I'm not finding answers to basic questions, neither here nor through Google searches. For example, there seems to be no way to create desktop shortcuts to text files that I need to regularly refer to. The files are on a partition that Windows 7 must also access. This is critical to my work.
I also cannot right-click in folders to create new text files there. Strangest to me is I don't see other people asking these questions, so I'm beginning to feel like an idiot.
Linux Mint's tutorials only seem to refer to Gnome. The KDE tutorials I've seen so far are over my head, and have little to do with my questions, anyway. Is KDE more suited to advanced Linuxians?
Any advice or suggestions would be hugely appreciated!

The default desktop in KDE 4.x is widget centric which is why it's not meeting your workflow needs

There are 2 ways to do make it more applicable for your requirements

1) add a "folder view" widget to your current desktop http://maketecheasier.com/get-the-most- ... 2009/05/08

2) create and use a "folder view" activity instead of your current activity http://maketecheasier.com/use-kde-plasm ... 2010/09/01 (see folder view section)

Welcome to KDE! KDE Workspaces and Applications are often said to have more options than their counterparts, and thus they're sometimes considered to have a slightly steeper learning curve. "Advanced" users usually also like them for the additional power and customizability. With that said, it should work perfectly well for new Linux users as well.

The desktop area in Plasma Desktop is special - in the past there's been a focus on icons, but in Plasma you rather place widgets on the desktop. If you want the old behavior you can change the desktop layout to "Folder View": right click on desktop -> Desktop Settings -> Layout: Folder View -> Apply. After this your desktop should behave like you expect.

If you're interested to learn more I wrote a bit about it here: http://hanschen.org/2009/01/29/plasma-d ... in-kde-42/
It's quite old but should still be relevant. If you want to help by writing tutorials etc., check out the UserBase Wiki - it needs people like you who can ask the questions a new user would!

Don't hesitate to ask in the forums if there are any other questions you have.

Thanks to google01103 & Hans! I "green checkmark" both of your answers.

All those links look like exactly what I've needed. (So much for my ego as a "great researcher"). Now to buckle down and get some studying done. <whew!>