I had stopped using LINUX more than two years ago because doing anything in LINUX (such as loading software) took 8 hours or more learning the arcane command line requirements and figuring out dependencies. I was spending more time trying to get things to work than getting productive work done.

But I once again got really fed-up with Windows and loaded Mandriva 2009 (Gnome) last week. I was very impressed and I was especially happy that everything worked right off the bat except the network. But even that was easily fixed using the GUI. It looks like I have a production machine!! I even got Wine to work (never could do that before) and loaded all my Windows applications. Everything WORKS!!! YEA. GOODBYE WINDOWS!!!

BUT, with Suse 10 and the old Mandrake, I could make each desktop have a different background. It appears that the new version is very limited with respect to what you can configure using the GUI!

QUESTION: Does anybody know of a desktop configuration manager (GUI only) for Gnome that will give me greater control over the individual desktops? Or how to make each individual desktop have its own settings?

P.S. I have 3D effects turned on using Compiz fusion

AFAIK, desktop effects won't allow what you're trying to achieve. Try disabling Compiz Fusion and see.