Anyone else remove the top panel?

[benny bronx]

Every install that I do, I keep the top panel for a while to see if I can learn to like it. Every time, I end up deleting it and adding a few things to the bottom panel (main menu, notification area, clock, system monitor, weather). I am wondering how common is this.

[RiceMonster]

Probably pretty common. I personally prefer one panel as well, but on the top instead (I don't use GNOME though).

[Perfect Storm]

Nope, like to have two panels. Works best for me. :popcorn:

[Valok]

I like having only one panel, but I prefer it on the top rather than on the bottom.

[Pogeymanz]

When I first installed Ubuntu with gnome almost two years ago, I left the two panels because I thought I had been brainwashed by Windows to not like it like that...

But I really just don't like it like that; One panel for me.

[jespdj]

I use both panels. I add some stuff to the top panel: CPU frequency and temperature applets. For the rest, I use the default setup of the panels.

[FuturePilot]

I've tried to use 1 panel a number of times, but every time I try I always find 1 panel too crammed. I find 2 is the best for me.

[binbash]

I googled it for a couple of hours, but i could not find a way except moving gnome-panel command.I also want to remove top panel but :/

[carnadi88]

I'm the same way. I only like one panel, but I like the one on top.

[brunovecchi]

One Panel only, at the bottom. Tried having two, but it seemed like a waste of screen space.

[RiceMonster]

I googled it for a couple of hours, but i could not find a way except moving gnome-panel command.I also want to remove top panel but :/

Right click on the panel > remove panel. At least thats how I remember doing it in GNOME.

[SeanHodges]

2 panels here. Having just 1 panel makes everything too cluttered.

[blackened]

I prefer having both. Even if I only have the systray and main menu on the top panel.

[RiceMonster]

2 panels here. Having just 1 panel makes everything too cluttered.

I found it that way in GNOME, but one panel doesn't seem cluttered in anything else. That's just my experience though.

[SomeGuyDude]

In GNOME I tend to remove the bottom panel, set the top to auto-hide, and then just put applets in an AWN dock. That works well enough for me.

[DanTheFlyingMan]

I just stick the top panel down the bottom with the other panel.

[OrangeCrate]

Just one, usually on top, on my 15" monitor at home with Xubuntu.

The 15" monitor is just too small to use two, and having one on top, and hidden, keeps it out of the way.

In my office, with a 19" widescreen, I use two on Ubuntu. Pretty standard setup.

Edit:

Actually, come to think of it, at home, I don't access the hidden panel for days at a time, because on Xfce, the main menu is available with a right click. That's pretty handy, and it gives you a really clean desktop to work with.

[Perfect Storm]

I found it that way in GNOME, but one panel doesn't seem cluttered in anything else. That's just my experience though.

Think that screen resolution and monitor size play a role when people want 1 or 2 panels. I have a 22" flat widescreen and running 16680x1050 res. This give alot of work space and I can have 1 or 2 panels without hurting. Then I set the fonts to size 8.




In GNOME I tend to remove the bottom panel, set the top to auto-hide, and then just put applets in an AWN dock. That works well enough for me.


I use two panels and Kiba-dock on the right edge of the screen :)

[benny bronx]

I just stick the top panel down the bottom with the other panel.

Never thought of that. That would be 48 pixels, which must be close to the size of the default kde panel (46?).

[blackened]

Think that screen resolution and monitor size play a role when people want 1 or 2 panels. I have a 22" flat widescreen and running 16680x1050 res. This give alot of work space and I can have 1 or 2 panels without hurting. Then I set the fonts to size 8.

Same resolution here with fonts at 7, so yeah, not really hurting for screen real estate.

[RiceMonster]

Think that screen resolution and monitor size play a role when people want 1 or 2 panels. I have a 22" flat widescreen and running 16680x1050 res. This give alot of work space and I can have 1 or 2 panels without hurting. Then I set the fonts to size 8.

Yeah, I use a laptop with 1280x800 resolution, so screen realistate is a pretty big issue for me. I use a font size 9.

[wipeout140]

I like having only one panel, i find it works better for me and it looks better (panel at the bottem)

[mips]

Think that screen resolution and monitor size play a role when people want 1 or 2 panels. I have a 22" flat widescreen and running 16680x1050 res. This give alot of work space and I can have 1 or 2 panels without hurting.


I have the same size & resolution display and I still prefer one panel. Two just seems like a waste of screen real estate be it at 1680x1050 or 1024x768.

PS. You probably have a typo there 16680 would be an amazing display ;)

[ECPCLINUX]

I remove the Bottom panel and set the top panel to "show hide buttons". I always use the left auto hide button cause I tend to click on Applications quite often. Then I add applets in an AWN dock at the bottom, of course set in auto hide.:grin:

[swimb]

I use both panels, and a mostly stock gnome/human setup.

[bash]

I use no panel. Just AWN to display my open windows and gnome-do for the rest like opening programs, searching files, shutdown/reboot. Serves me well.

[hessiess]

If im using gnome I use 2 with autohide. Though I much prefer no panels at all, and a tiling WM.


Yeah, I use a laptop with 1280x800 resolution, so screen realistate is a pretty big issue for me. I use a font size 9.

I also use a laptop with 1280x800, getting rid of the panels, and window decorations. Then getting rid of most of the GUI on graphical programs helps a lot.

[scragar]

With dapper I kept both, just because, when I skipped to gutsy I threw away one of them and moved the last one on the left, I loved this for a while.

Then I tried XFCE, that rocked, I got down to 1 tiny little partial bar(it had the notification area and a couple of custom launchers), thanks to padding, and XFCE's fatastic want for the right click menu, middle click window/workspace list.

That worked great for a while, till XFCE fell appart running wine, then I upgraded to hardy, kept the single panel, hoping shortcut keys and launchers etc would work better(I developed a habit of adding load's of launchers to my panels :P), it didn't, so I went to a double sized panel(actually 2 panels, one set to autohide, 1 set to always show, worked quite well).

By the time I installed Ibex, well, I kept the 2 panels as they are, works well enough, atleast until I work up the currage to try XFCE with wine again.

[timcredible]

i keep both, but make them small, put them on the bottom on the sides, make them tranparent, and put awn dock in the middle (see pic)

[OrangeCrate]

With dapper I kept both, just because, when I skipped to gutsy I threw away one of them and moved the last one on the left, I loved this for a while.

Then I tried XFCE, that rocked, I got down to 1 tiny little partial bar(it had the notification area and a couple of custom launchers), thanks to padding, and XFCE's fatastic want for the right click menu, middle click window/workspace list.

That worked great for a while, till XFCE fell appart running wine, then I upgraded to hardy, kept the single panel, hoping shortcut keys and launchers etc would work better(I developed a habit of adding load's of launchers to my panels :P), it didn't, so I went to a double sized panel(actually 2 panels, one set to autohide, 1 set to always show, worked quite well).

By the time I installed Ibex, well, I kept the 2 panels as they are, works well enough, atleast until I work up the currage to try XFCE with wine again.

+1

See edited comment in post #17 in this thread.

[bford16]

I use Ubuntu with 2 panels on my desktop (19" with 1680 X 1050), and Xubuntu with 1 panel on my other two computers. I especially like the single bottom panel in the middle for the laptop.

[the yawner]

I've tried most setups possible. The default 2 panels, single panel placed on each sides of the screen. But eventually I settled to just have the default single panel on top with the windows list applet inserted in the middle of the panel layout.

[geoken]

2 panels seemed like a huge waste to me (even on my 22' 1680x1050).

Once I installed the quick lounge it made things perfect. For those who don't know, the quick lounge applet mimics the Windows quick launch area in that it allows you to show a certain amount of icons, then have the remaining icons in appear in a secondary menu (kind of like a drawer) when you click the button to expand the applet.

I personally think keeping it on the bottom is the most logical. The bottom area of the screen is uncluttered and usually offers no relevant data. In contrast, the top area contains the window titles, the menu bar, window buttons, etc. By putting the menu at the top your not only negating the ability to give window elements infinite space but your also adding more information to the already information rich top area while leaving the bottom area completely sparse.

[billgoldberg]

Every install that I do, I keep the top panel for a while to see if I can learn to like it. Every time, I end up deleting it and adding a few things to the bottom panel (main menu, notification area, clock, system monitor, weather). I am wondering how common is this.

I use the top panel on all the pc's.

On one I don't use the bottom one.

[fatality_uk]

Default Gnome/Ubuntu looks great to me.

However, some people like bottom Windows'esc panel, so I usually autohide the top panel and stick a main menu on the bottom. The real estate is still there at the top.

[Sorivenul]

If I use a panel, which is rarely, I use the top one, and remove the bottom. Currently I've pared them down so much that I have only a single button on my GNOME or Xfce panels for the menu. Then again, that's okay because I usually run away from either as soon as I install.

[loomsen]

Similar here, compiz-deskmenu made the panel pretty obsolete.

But why I actually tried to get rid of gnome-panel is it's massive appetite for mem. Same for nautilus. Running kiba or cairo will give me some eye-candy, and still save a good amount of mem. Tho I got enough mem, I have no understanding why this has to be.

If you're trying to get rid of it, either klick on the 2nd link in my sig, or simply goto
gconf-editor-->Desktop --> session --> required_components
and delete gnome-panel as one of the required components. logout, back in, and it will be gone. If not runn killall gnome-panel.
Then it will def be gone.

[Perfect Storm]

I have the same size & resolution display and I still prefer one panel. Two just seems like a waste of screen real estate be it at 1680x1050 or 1024x768.

PS. You probably have a typo there 16680 would be an amazing display ;)


Aye, it would be pretty wide :popcorn:

[mssever]

I used to use two panels in their default positions. But my current machine has a wide screen (why don't they make laptops with normal screen sizes anymore? Widescreens are rediculous), and I had to figure out something to do with that extra space that wouldn't be wasteful. So now, I have a panel on the bottom and one on the right. It works well.

There's no way I could get by with just one panel, and unfortunately some panel items don't work well in a vertical panel.

[Darkhack]

I use two panels. The reason being that I have a lot of Windows open. Yes I also use multiple desktops, but sometimes I really do just want mutliple windows on the same desktop. One panel is just way too cluttered.

My top panel has my menus, desktop switcher, shortcuts, system tray, and clock. The bottom panel only has the task bar and nothing else. The bottom panel is also 54 pixels high so that I can have two task buttons stacked on top, much like the default in KDE 3.5. I autohide both panels so I can have maximum screen space.

[Polygon]

i love having two panels. In windows, i usually extend the taskbar to accommodate all the quick links and stuff I add anyway. i also use the above task far for the ubuntu menu, the notification area, and any sensors i have for my hardware, while the bottom is just for the task bar list and the workspace switcher.

[graabein]

I always remove the bottom panel. I usually have the mouse up with the application menu and icon bar in the top part of the screen. Moving the cursor down to the bottom each time is more work than going "one higher" to launch programs etc. So top 1, bottom 0.

[lifestream]

I only use 0, yes, zero, panels.
I hate panels.
Gnome-Do <3 me.
I use a dock sometimes though, only because of those damned icons on the system tray *fist shake*
I hate my screen cluttered with stuff.

If Mezzo was still being developed (is it?!) I wouuld use it.

[SunnyRabbiera]

2 panels for now as my max screen resolution isnt too high, gnome just gets too cluttered with 1 panel for me.

[HermanAB]

I always combine the top and bottom Gnome panels. Vertical screen space is precious - even more so on modern laptops.

[bapoumba]

One visible panel on top, with system monitors, workspaces, window list, notification area, clock etc.. Another panel on the side with applications I use often, set to autohide. Small laptop screen here :)

[samwyse]

One panel, mainly because I don't like travelling up and down with the mouse.

[Capt. Mac]

I prefer having both panels, but I keep hide buttons on both of them to keep them out of the way when they are not needed. That way I get the full screen real estate, while keeping useful information (notifications, system monitor) and useful applications on the top bar, and keeping the bottom bar relatively clean.

[aysiu]

With 800x480 resolution, two panels isn't practical. I keep the top panel and delete the bottom one.

[NintendoTogepi]

I found the second bar to be pretty pointless. The Recycle bin button is useless, the show desktop button is pretty much useless, and I didn't really find a usage for the two little square things.

I just added a few small things to the top bar, and then removed the second...

[eternalnewbee]

Blowing off steam?:D

[hessiess]

No bars ;)

[wmcbrine]

Yeah, I only run one bar (and it's set to autohide).

The little square things are additional desktops. This is a very popular feature, although personally I never got into it.

[Bou]

I found the second bar to be pretty pointless. The Recycle bin button is useless, the show desktop button is pretty much useless, and I didn't really find a usage for the two little square things.

You will eventually.

[Bölvaður]

I didn't really find a usage for the two little square things.


You didnt find any use of workspaces? Are you only using one workspace :confused: thats shocking.
Or perhaps you are just using ctrl+alt+arrow buttons to move between workspaces... so that would be good enough I guess.

[nick09]

You do save a few seconds by using the hide all windows button and auto-hiding the second bar saves screen real estate; plus windows bars go to the second bar allowing you to customize the first bar with items such as that monitor temperatures and local weather conditions.

[glotz]

My setup features two. The top one is visible and contains e.g. the clock and the window list, stuff I want to see at all times. The bottom one is set to autohide and contains lauchers to stuff I often use. (There are some more variables to personalize the panels in gconf-editor /apps/panel/)

[icarid_17]

I use both bars and use the hide windows button to keep myself organized (if I've got too many windows open it gets confusing so I hide them all then maximize the one I'm interested in). I find the bar looks better if you right click it click properties, click background and click solid colour rather than use system theme then just drag the slider all the way to the left so the bar is fully transparent.

[NintendoTogepi]

You didnt find any use of workspaces? Are you only using one workspace :confused: thats shocking.
Or perhaps you are just using ctrl+alt+arrow buttons to move between workspaces... so that would be good enough I guess.

I'm fine with one work space as in Windows, I guess. :)

[jomiolto]

Currently I'm using none. When I'm not running any applications or have all of them minimized (or on other workspaces), there's nothing but the wallpaper on my desktop :)

[OrangeCrate]

Take a look...

[init1]

I found the second bar to be pretty pointless. The Recycle bin button is useless, the show desktop button is pretty much useless, and I didn't really find a usage for the two little square things.

I just added a few small things to the top bar, and then removed the second...
Yeah, I have no use for the second bar. I never delete files or open windows.

[JackyBox]

Regarding workspaces, I've found that not everyone is capable of (or willing to) get their head around the concept of multiple workspaces, and are in fact quite happy to continue to use a single workspace. It doesn't always makes things easier if it requires another level of thinking.

Multiple workspaces are a substitute for multiple monitors anyway.

[eternalnewbee]

Take a look...
The top of my head! I'm famous:lolflag:

[zmjjmz]

The only "bar" I have tells me what workspace I'm in and what window is focused, CPU usage, Memory usage, Battery level, and then the date. Next to it is a system tray.

Yay XMonad.


(Also, how can you stand having just one workspace? I'm starting to think 9 is too little on my machine...)

[OrangeCrate]

The top of my head! I'm famous:lolflag:

Oh, you caught that huh?

:)

[eternalnewbee]

Oh, you caught that huh?
Nope.
I had a tingling sensation on the top of my head:lol:

[smartboyathome]

When in GNOME, two, as my computer screen is too small for one (I have a 1280x800 comp). When on E17, one, as I can fit everything I need one one.

[Tomosaur]

I use both panels - I don't like the way auto-hide works so I just have them both visible all the time :P

I actually use the Show Desktop button a lot. It annoys me that I can't set it to Super+D (like in Windows) without messing about. Ctrl+Alt+D is a horrible default.

[smoker]

hmm, thought this was about electric heaters! in this weather, this cold, two bars!

as for gnome panels, one is enough for me, i fit all i want on the bottom bar and delete the top.

[bapoumba]

Threads merged.

[Mrs]

i kept my top panel, and removed the bottom panel, but added a auto-hide right side panel

[avaralom]

I like the top panel, but I did remove the bottom panel and replaced it with the awn dock-esque .. thing. I added a few extras to the top to make it more useful.

[RiceMonster]

I'm fine with one work space as in Windows, I guess. :)

Add the pager again and try using multiple workspaces. Once you realize how useful they are, you can't live without them.


I use both panels - I don't like the way auto-hide works so I just have them both visible all the time :P

I actually use the Show Desktop button a lot. It annoys me that I can't set it to Super+D (like in Windows) without messing about. Ctrl+Alt+D is a horrible default.

I changed it to super+D in Xfce no problem. Easy to do in fluxbox or openbox as well. Sounds like a GNOME thing :).

[deGz0rx]

just like as avaralom said, i cant use just the top panel
i switched the bottom one with AWN dock so it could show which programs are on and some launchers are there as well.
i think i couldnt live without the top panel since its so friggin' awesome :)

[mssever]

I'm fine with one work space as in Windows, I guess. :)
That's the biggest thing that annoys me about Windows, UI-wise. I just can't survive without multiple workspaces.

[EdThaSlayer]

Removing a panel is like chopping my body in half. It just won't work for me. :(
So two is my ideal choice. :)

[bruce89]

gnome-shell (which is being looked at for GNOME 3.0) has a panel at the top, but not at the bottom.

[zmjjmz]

I changed it to super+D in Xfce no problem. Easy to do in fluxbox or openbox as well. Sounds like a GNOME thing :).

There's nothing preventing one from doing it in GNOME...

[mwalimu54]

I am using one panel (top) until I get my 19" screen. (dream on!) I took the worded menu off and use just the main menu icon - saves a lot of space for a one-panel user.

[Dragonbite]

I don't, I prefer the 2-panel setup.

I especially like it over the KDE one-main-panel variety.

I also like Xfce's no-panel variety where between mouse-clicks (right=main menu, middle=task list) and bound keys get me what I want.

[Spr0k3t]

Two monitors, two panels, both of them at the top. Only two work spaces.

[Dragonbite]

Two monitors, two panels, both of them at the top. Only two work spaces.

Are the two monitors vertical or horizontal?

[RiceMonster]

There's nothing preventing one from doing it in GNOME...

Well, he seemed to think there was, and I haven't used GNOME in a while.

[hellion0]

I use one panel, and it doesn't take up the whole width of the screen. There's no taskbar, just the main menu, a few quicklaunchers, the trash can, a mini commandline, an icon box (substitute for a task manager, shows only icons), my notification area, some other stuff, and the clock and logout buttons.

[Ripfox]

2 panels ftw

[pinguino13]

I can fit everything I need in the top panel and delete the bottom one.

[o.besner]

Since I was using Windows before, I started with one panel at the bottom. I got tired of going up and down to close-app-then-open-new-one so now I have one fixed transparent panel on top. It's almost empty, since I open most of my programs with ALT + F2 anyway. Menu, systray, taskbar.

If Nautilus integrated better in AWN I would use it though. I really liked AWN, but with the file manager it was a mess.

(Using Gnome on Arch Linux btw)

[SupaSonic]

2 panels, even on a widescreen laptop.

A poll would be nice.

[Tomosaur]

Well, he seemed to think there was, and I haven't used GNOME in a while.

In the keyboard shortcuts dialog, hitting 'super' removes focus from the box and assigns 'super' as the shortcut to whatever command you happened to be editing. The next best thing is to manually enter the shortcut through gconf.

So no, there is 'nothing stopping me' from doing it, but it doesn't have to be as irritating as that.

Although saying that, this may just be an Ubuntu quirk. It is annoying to have a 3 finger default when Super + D is so much simpler and obvious.

[jimi_hendrix]

i do top panel and a dock

[xjcannonx]

I tried two panels, then one panel (the top one) now i have taken away all panels and put an auto hiding cairo-dock with everything needed on top and added some very useful keyboard and mouse shorcuts...

[Wolki]

In the keyboard shortcuts dialog, hitting 'super' removes focus from the box and assigns 'super' as the shortcut to whatever command you happened to be editing. The next best thing is to manually enter the shortcut through gconf.

You probably don't have Super mapped to the win keys. Go System -> Preferences -> Keyboard -> Layouts -> Other Options -> Alt/Win Key Behavior -> Super is mapped to the Win keys.

[Lostincyberspace]

I've tried to use 1 panel a number of times, but every time I try I always find 1 panel too crammed. I find 2 is the best for me.
I know what you mean since I moved I have been using a 15" LCD rather than my old 20" CRT.(weighs about a half a ton(seriously)) and moving from a 1600*1200 resolution to a 1024*768 has left my panel(top only) rather cramped I might have to move to 2 panel system.
Though I did just get my 20" moved up so for a while I might go dual screen.:)

[Wa1k3rTXRang3r]

i have one panel on the top and awn on the bottom

[geekygirl]

Only having a small scren (11.1") I only use one panel - on the top, and run Ubuntu System Panel as well. Plenty of real estate ;)

[Sublime Porte]

I delete bottom panel and add cairo-dock.

It can do the exact same things the bottom dock does (minimise windows, task switcher, workspace switcher, rubbish) and a whole lot more.

[mamamia88]

use top panel only with gnome-do for quick launching applications and scale for switching windows

[Bios Element]

I can't stand 'not' having both a top/bottom panel. Huge improvement from windows.

[SLEEPER_V]

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/2569/screenshotxau.th.png (http://img141.imageshack.us/my.php?image=screenshotxau.png)

the panel on the side autohides

[heroidi]

i hold the top panel in my own pc i use a dock instead of the bottom panel but @ work i use 2 panels

[Bölvaður]

my favourite is to remove the bottom panel and add window list to the top one and workspace picker.

I have also found it nice when you only have a very minimalistic side panel with barely anything on it. And it looks much cooler than anything.

[H2SO_four]

Top and bottom for me. Just bottom seems like Windows for me.

[Tipped OuT]

I use one panel at the top. The bottom panel is replaced by a dock.

[pwnst*r]

i remove the top and use bottom only. even with a 24" screen, i want that extra space.

[gashcr]

I hate panels... remove all of them is the first thing I do every time

[Dragonbite]

Use Xfce, then you can remove all panels and be 100% fully functioning! that's what I like to do when fooling around with Xfce.

[lukjad]

Every install that I do, I keep the top panel for a while to see if I can learn to like it. Every time, I end up deleting it and adding a few things to the bottom panel (main menu, notification area, clock, system monitor, weather). I am wondering how common is this.

NEVAH! :p

I keep both panels, and don`t even think about removing them. :)

[The Real Dave]

I use two panels. Both standard, bar that the top pannel houses some links, and a system indicator. When I need to work in Windows (I usually do most of my work in Linux, due to multiple workspaces making it so much easier - seriously Redmond, learn) I always find that my bar clogs up quick. So its more natural for me I feel to use two panels in Ubuntu

[LowSky]

on my desktop, I use two. On my netbook, technically one, because of ubuntu remix.

[Viva]

I love the top panel

[sim-value]

I dont have any Panels Gnome DO FTW !

[xpod]

I use Twinview with the 2 panels on my smaller 19" and none on the 22".

[Mateo]

I use the top panel. When I first started on linux I moved the top panel to the bottom and had 2 bottom panels. it worked ok. The only advantage to no top panel is that it's easier to close maximized windows. but personally i think 2 panels is "linux's look" since gnome and xfce use it.

[pwnst*r]

The only advantage to no top panel is that it's easier to close maximized windows.

i don't understand that at all. 1) totally depends where your cursor is and 2) if you're moving your cursor to the top to do that step, just move it over to the right and close said window.

am i missing something here?

[TheIdiotThatIsMe]

One panel for me, on the bottom. I'm weird like that :popcorn:

[glotz]

i don't understand that at all. 1) totally depends where your cursor is and 2) if you're moving your cursor to the top to do that step, just move it over to the right and close said window.

am i missing something here?It's faster to hit something in the corner than just below it.

[Jackelope]

One of the first things I do after install is remove that top panel....of course with Docky I'm starting to put one panel on top and the dock on the bottom.

[0per4t0r]

I have both at the top, that way they don't get in the way of AWN.

[Polaris96]

I think one panel is sufficient. I also think KDE is better.