Linux Mint Forums

Hi all,
I am a newcomer to the Linux world, and I followed the path of all beginners using Ubuntu. However, since I became familiar with Linux Mint, I switched to it and never went back to Ubuntu. I have a question regarding desktop environments though. I was wondering why Cinnamon does not offer a moving panel, and is it really that hard to make the panel movable after doing such a huge task like designing a new DE?

Thanks guys.

You can move the panel. It's in Panel Properties. But you have to restart Cinnamon for the change to take effect.

Actually Cinnamon is not a desktop environment written from scratch - it is based on GNOME Shell's code. In GNOME Shell the panel is stuck at top and you can't move anything on it without extensions. So, Cinnamon right now only have 3 panel layouts under Cinnamon Settings - Panel.
Looking at the GitHub page of the project (https://github.com/linuxmint/Cinnamon) you can see a pull request about flexible panel layouts. So, maybe in the next version of Cinnamon the panels are more flexible.

@ dwasifar: Can I make the panel vertical? Actually that is what I want

@abnvolk: Thanks for clarification. Can you name the extensions for moving the panel in Gnome Shell or Gnome 3? Especially for vertical panel.

I don't know I meant moving applets on the panel, I've never seen a panel-moving extension.

mmutoo wrote:@ dwasifar: Can I make the panel vertical? Actually that is what I want

No, I think the options are only top or bottom in Cinnamon. Gnome-panel has always looked crappy when vertical, though, so you're not missing much. I recommend installing Docky or some similar dock and moving that to a vertical side instead. It'll look much better and be more functional.

Yes, for vertical panels you're better of with a dock (Docky, Cairo etc.) A flat 25px panel with text labels would look odd vertical.

Ok! I do not seem to have any other choice! Either i go back to xfce or install a dock Thanks a lot guys.

I didn't had the choice neither... Hopefully it was one of the first thing I tried to do. Now I just installed Mate which works fine with panel on side (and no problem of vertical text, there are only icons) and the few vertical pixels I have on that stupid 16:9 screen are safe.

XFCE 4.10 (in Mint 16) does a very nice vertical panel, choose "Deskbar" mode in the panel options, and it's very configurable too - like a dock and panel in one. Though on the whole I do prefer Cinnamon (v2.0)
Anyway, if not done already, perhaps go over to http://community.linuxmint.com/idea/view/2748 and vote. Maybe it will happen... just need some momentum!