MacOS 7.1 Question

["Chris Alaimo" <cpalaimo@excite.com>]

       I know if I ask this in a mac newsgroup I'll get flamed for using
such an old system.  Using MacOS 7.1, I put a floppy disk into the drive and
dragged the contents of the disk onto the desktop.  When I eject the disk,
the stuff disappears.  Did it even actually copy the contents of the disk
onto the hard drive, or are they just shortcuts.  I want to permanently copy
the files onto my desktop and have them visible no matter what disk if any
is in the drive.  I;m trying to use this Mac to make Apple ][ disks, so it's
kind of Apple
][ related.  Thanks.