LXDE: panel versus dock

[vasa1]

I came across this line (http://wiki.lxde.org/en/LXPanel):

setdocktype=1 # ask the window manager to treat the panel as a dock.
and I came across this thread: Dock vs Panel; What's the difference? (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1732052) in which there seems to be a feeling that there's not much to distinguish one from the other.
But the lxde wiki seems to suggest that some clear difference does exist. Any idea where I could find out more?

[black veils]

dock seems to mean the place in which the window buttons go. so your running applications can show as buttons in the panel, but it is not a required feature, you can have a panel without windows buttons, and just use Alt + Tab (or whatever) to switch between open application windows. you see?

[vasa1]

dock seems to mean the place in which the window buttons go. so your running applications can show as buttons in the panel, but it is not a required feature, you can have a panel without windows buttons, and just use Alt + Tab (or whatever) to switch between open application windows. you see?
dock seems to mean the place in which the window buttons go. so your running applications can show as buttons in the panel,
In the context of Lubuntu, what you describe is called "Task Bar (Window List)" and it is an (optional) component of the panel.
The line that I quoted from the lxde wiki seems to imply that a setting of "setdocktype=1" makes the entire panel acquire a "dock"-like nature as far as the window manager is concerned.
I guess I could try various other values for setdocktype and learn from my own experience but I'd rather find documentation first.

As for alt-tab, that option does indeed allow one to switch between open applications but it's not what is puzzling me.

[cwsnyder]

One of the major differences between a dock and a panel? A dock is usually configured from the middle out, a panel is usually configured from ends to the middle by default, with pre-configured placement for menu, notifiers, etc.

[vasa1]

I asked over at the Lubuntu Mailing List (https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/lubuntu-users) and got pointed to a link that answered my question and much more: http://pclosmag.com/html/Issues/201010/page07.html.
Quoting from there:

Make window managers treat the panel as a dock: when checked window managers will see the panel as a dock and not a window. It will not be displayed on a list of open windows (e.g. the Alt+Tab window switcher) or the pager.