When I put an icon on a Mandriva or Mageia desktop in Folder View mode, it is a simple icon. To look at its properties, I can right click on it and a small window appears. When I place an icon on an Open Suse desktop (in Folder View mode) the characteristic KDE side panel appears whenever the mouse cursor approaches, which I find intrusive and unnecessary. What have Mandriva/Mageia done to remove this annoyance?? In other words, what can I do?

Hello i'm currently using opensue 12.1, and i always use kde. I am unsure what side panel you are talking about, but i suspect the one you are talking about comes out the side of the folder view widget? If this is the one, then this is not a setting Mandriva/Mageia have set (i'm pretty sure), but one you have. You are in customization mode which is why that side panel comes out of the folder-view widget, why you can move the widget and why there's a cashew icon in the bottem right of your main panel. What you want to do is lock your widgets. To lock your widgets go to the cashew icon in the top right corner of your desktop, and click, and then select the option to lock widgets. This should make the cashew in your panel disappear and more importantly, the side panel that comes out of your folder view widget not appear. Note, if you wish to add more widgets or customize your desktop more you will most likely have to have to do the given steps again, but select unlock widgets instead, and then lock them again once you're done.
If i have misunderstood the panel you are talking about could you please describe it a little better.

If I understand your problem correctly it's about locking and unlocking widgets. If you right-click on your desktop and then click on the "Lock Widgets" menu item then the side panels you talk about should no longer appear.
ciao,
jdk

Thank you jdkaye and Knightron. Your remarks have helped. I can now refine my question to: Why is it that when I drag an application from the start menu onto the desktop (Folder View mode), Mandriva/Mageia create icons, whereas Open Suse (and others) create widgets? Is there a setting to alter this action? (Icons can be created by right clicking on the desktop and creating a link, but this is not as quick as drag and drop).

if you drag the icon to the folder view widget it should create a sym-link in the widget. If you drag it to a different part of the desktop it will create a new widget for just that icon.

You say folder view mode? The above will not apply for folder view mode. in opensuse, you say it creates a widget when you drag and drop from the K menu (not start menu)? Are you sure that opensuse is in folder view mode too.

Try going to the cashew in the top right, selecting activity, then create new in the bar that pops up and choosing folder view. See if that's any different.