Gnome-panel
Encyclopedia
GNOME Panel is a highly configurable launcher
and taskbar
for GNOME
. It forms a core part of the GNOME desktop.
It has been replaced in GNOME 3.x by default with GNOME Shell, which only works with the Mutter window manager
. GNOME Panel serves as Fallback Mode when Mutter can not be executed, although it can still be activated if a user still wishes to use it as their default desktop.
usually contains two panels (one on the top, and one to its opposite on the bottom) spanning the width of the screen.
The top panel usually contains navigation menus labeled "Applications" and "Places" in that order, as the "System" menu from GNOME 2.x has been replaced by a control panel in GNOME 3.x. These menus hold links to common applications and areas of the file system, respectively.
A user menu placed on the opposite side of the screen, which has been available since GNOME 2.14 but has become more prominent in GNOME 3.x, holds access to account and system settings as well as options to log out, switch user, and shutdown the computer.
The top panel usually contains a clock/calendar and a notification area, which can double as a sort of dock
, as well. The bottom panel is commonly empty by default (other than a set of buttons to navigate between desktops) due to its use in the navigation between windows (windows minimize to the bottom panel by default).
These panels can be populated with other completely customizable menus and buttons, including new menus, search boxes, and icons, with the icons in particular (called launchers) performing functions similar to the quick-launch feature found in the Microsoft Windows
taskbar. In GNOME 2.x this was accomplished by right clicking on an applet and selecting options from a menu, in GNOME 3.x you must press the Alt key while right clicking to attain the same functionality.
Other applications can also be attached to the panels, and the panels are highly reconfigurable: anything on these panels can be moved, removed, or configured in other ways. For example, a migrating Microsoft Windows user might move the menus usually positioned in the top panel into a 'start' menu on the bottom panel as well as moving the notification area into the place normally positioned by the Windows notification area, then remove the top panel altogether, to interact with GNOME panel similarly to the MS taskbar.
Launcher
Launcher may refer to:* Rocket launcher* Grenade launcher* Application launcher, a kind of utility software...
and taskbar
Taskbar
In computing, a taskbar is a bar displayed on a full edge of a GUI desktop that is used to launch and monitor running applications. Microsoft incorporated a taskbar in Windows 95 and it has been a defining aspect of Microsoft Windows's graphical user interface ever since. Some desktop environments,...
for GNOME
GNOME
GNOME is a desktop environment and graphical user interface that runs on top of a computer operating system. It is composed entirely of free and open source software...
. It forms a core part of the GNOME desktop.
It has been replaced in GNOME 3.x by default with GNOME Shell, which only works with the Mutter window manager
Mutter (window manager)
Mutter is the window manager for which GNOME Shell is a plugin in GNOME 3, replacing Metacity....
. GNOME Panel serves as Fallback Mode when Mutter can not be executed, although it can still be activated if a user still wishes to use it as their default desktop.
Appearance
By default, GNOMEGNOME
GNOME is a desktop environment and graphical user interface that runs on top of a computer operating system. It is composed entirely of free and open source software...
usually contains two panels (one on the top, and one to its opposite on the bottom) spanning the width of the screen.
The top panel usually contains navigation menus labeled "Applications" and "Places" in that order, as the "System" menu from GNOME 2.x has been replaced by a control panel in GNOME 3.x. These menus hold links to common applications and areas of the file system, respectively.
A user menu placed on the opposite side of the screen, which has been available since GNOME 2.14 but has become more prominent in GNOME 3.x, holds access to account and system settings as well as options to log out, switch user, and shutdown the computer.
The top panel usually contains a clock/calendar and a notification area, which can double as a sort of dock
Dock (computing)
The Dock is a prominent feature of the graphical user interface of the Mac OS X operating system. It is used to launch applications and switch between running applications...
, as well. The bottom panel is commonly empty by default (other than a set of buttons to navigate between desktops) due to its use in the navigation between windows (windows minimize to the bottom panel by default).
Customization
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
taskbar. In GNOME 2.x this was accomplished by right clicking on an applet and selecting options from a menu, in GNOME 3.x you must press the Alt key while right clicking to attain the same functionality.
Other applications can also be attached to the panels, and the panels are highly reconfigurable: anything on these panels can be moved, removed, or configured in other ways. For example, a migrating Microsoft Windows user might move the menus usually positioned in the top panel into a 'start' menu on the bottom panel as well as moving the notification area into the place normally positioned by the Windows notification area, then remove the top panel altogether, to interact with GNOME panel similarly to the MS taskbar.
See also
- GNOME Shell
- XfceXfceXfce is a free software desktop environment for Unix and other Unix-like platforms, such as Linux, Solaris, and BSD – though recent compatibility issues have arisen with regard to BSD Unix platforms...
- KDE Plasma Desktop
- Kicker (KDE)Kicker (KDE)Kicker is the main panel used in K Desktop Environment 3 and earlier. It can be customized by the user. By default, it has the K Menu, a Desktop Access button, a Home button, a Konqueror button, a Kontact button, and a Help button...