Code Used In The Application "Terminal"

After logging into Mac-Forum today and re-reading the instructions I've been given I opened the Utilities folder and opened up the application Terminal. Not knowing anything about it I closed it right away. After which I started searching for Web sites to help me understand the application Terminal. I'm feeling more comfortable trying to use Terminal to delete thousands of empty picture files in a folder called  "Desktop" which is in my "Finder".  I still need to find the answer to one question I have.

What does the    rf   stand for in the following code?   rm -rf *.*   ?   I think it means reference. 
I believe the *.* is sort of a wild card and can mean any file name. 

Need to ask this question on the Mac-Forum.

There are 1,894 items in this folder to delete. It's not a matter of dragging them to the trash and hit empty trash.  I wish it were that simple. A warning box opens up for each file saying:

"Some of the items you are moving are in use by another application. Moving the items can cause problems with the application using them. Are you sure you want to move these items? "
Directly below this statement are three buttons to push:    "SKIP"      "STOP"      "CONTINUE"

I have to click on "CONTINUE"  button for each file I want deleted. I don't want to click the "CONTINUE"  button for each of the 1,894 files.  

I just want to be sure my Hard Drive is not in that folder. It shows it's icon on the desktop but it's not inside the "Destop Folder" shown in the "Finder".  

Desktop Image

Cardom & MacInWin, 


Let me see if I understand your instructions before trying this.

1. Make sure my Hard Drive Icon is not on the Desktop?
2. Go to " Applications/Utilities"
3. Find an application called "Terminal", RUN this application
4. Type in:
    cd ~/Desktop
    rm -rf *.*      
 /  or /        
rm -rf *.jpg
{  I'm not sure what you mean by "Working Directory"? }
{  Not sure what "OP" means?  }
??? Is my Hard Drive on my Desktop???
It appears to be but when I open the folder "Desktop" I don't see it there. I see it listed under "Devices".

Thank you for your help. I was trying to learn how to use an app called "Automator" but it will only delete one file at a time. I was trying to figure out how to get it to delete more files but haven't yet. When I am sure I won't delete my Hard drive or other files I'll do as you suggest. I have copied all the pictures to an external drive. Well, I take that back. There are pics in " iPhoto ".  I need to check to be sure all those are on the external drive too.

I would like to go slow and only delete one type of file at a time. All of these have "Zero Kb on the disk" I think they are only place holders within the "desktop" folder. They were originally inside a folder called, "Pictures".  Otherwise, If they were not placeholders why would all of them have "Zero Kb"?

Thank you so much for your help.
Laura