Yee-eah but isn't that a bit of a long way round the basic problem?

All (well, most) functions that were in preferences and administration under
GNOME are still present in Unity, it's just a question of finding them. In 11.04
there was a System Settings item on the menu in the top right hand corner, same
one you use to shut down. But it's gone in 11.10, you can find it instead in the
dash (I think you can in 11.04 as well) by searching for system settings, or by
choosing from the categories (similar to the old top level Main menu, i.e.
games, internet, media, office, &c.) that drop down at the right hand side of
the dash.