'mod': Taskbar

[luie]

*Disclaimer: I apologize if this is the wrong section. Feel free to move to another section if it is more appropriate.


History:
Since the start of GUI, taskbars had been located at the bottom of the screen by default (eg. Windows). As monitors are becoming bigger and wider, this position might not be ideal.

Interest:
I'm interested in those who have their taskbar located either on the top, right or left of the screen.

Question:
Where do you have your taskbar?
Top?
Left?
Right?

Why?





For me, I always had it on the top. I considered on the side but the titles of the programs are truncated (eg. "Xt..." for XtremeSystems Forum page on browser). Now that Windows7 have these opened programs as icons, I am considering repositioning the taskbar to maximize usable monitor space. Right now, I am trying the taskbar on the right.
Next week, I'll try the taskbar on the left.

[pwolfe]

Well, I don't use windows at all, but I'd like to contribute to this thread anyways. I use the gnome bar at the top of my screen. application launchers on the left side, systray on the right side. In the middle I have a graphic display of my virtual desktops (you wanna talk about maximizing space, thats one hell of a way). On the bottom I have a macosx-like dock that I basically only use for launching my most commonly used apps. This ss is from when I first built and configured my current rig, so that dock is pretty sparce; it is also used as an application switcher for currently running apps.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/pwolfe/Screenshot-3.png

[m^2]

Apple had a task bar (kind of) before MS and it was placed at the top.

[celemine1Gig]

Very extreme mod to repostion your taskbar. :clap:
Please have this thread moved to a appropriate section. Like here:
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=111

[Soulburner]

Long ago I used it on the left, 4:3 monitor even. Had it on the top for a while. Ended up back at the bottom, because of truncated app names.

In Win7 with a widescreen display it may be more useable on the sides than it used to be. I cannot use the taskbar at the top now, because of the way I use Winamp. Taking Winamp in and out of Windowshade mode, "unfolds" the playlist section downward and it would be put all the way off the screen. Winamp has to be at the top for this reason. Maybe some day I will figure out a more intuitive setup.

[Mats]

I put the taskbar in the top, just because web browsers and many other apps have their menus in the top.
No reason to go across the screen to the bottom with the pointer just to reach for the taskbar, I just don't see the point.

[Soulburner]

I'd like to see some more input on this topic.

[AliG]

you know, punk labs offers a dock for windows OS, not quite the same as a mac dock, but personally I find it to do the job quite nicely since it frees up the bottom taskbar

[Soulburner]

you know, punk labs offers a dock for windows OS, not quite the same as a mac dock, but personally I find it to do the job quite nicely since it frees up the bottom taskbar
Yeah, Rocketdock. A lot of people use it, but most people don't completely get rid of the Windows Taskbar, just like Mac users - they have both as well.

[enteon]

I'd like to see some more input on this topic.

may I? ;)

on top because i like having two full sized windows at the same time and because it's more natural, same with the window buttons, i'm not chinese therefore left-to-right. But not as wide as the monitor because the wallpaper and the whole monitor look bigger that way ^^

http://img19.picoodle.com/img/img19/3/3/21/enteon/f_snapshot2m_4bf6bbc.png

ps: resolution is 1680x1050, desktop is KDE, theme is baghira and OS debian lenny linux.

[Soulburner]

Left or right would maximize widescreen monitor space, sort of like the "blade" idea in the Xbox 360 GUI. It would give more vertical space, best for websites and reading documents. Also prevents forums from stretching too wide on very high resolution monitors.

However top makes more sense to have your mouse near all the controls at once, and if you tile multiple windows vertically often it will give you more horizontal space.

[enteon]

However top makes more sense to have your mouse near all the controls at once, and if you tile multiple windows vertically often it will give you more horizontal space.

and that's what makes widescreen monitors more efficient to work with, isn't it? :)

[Jamesrt2004]

I have my bar on the left in win7, and also have a dock at the top :) i find that to be most convenient

[Soulburner]

Trying it on the top today with the dock at the bottom ala Mac OSX.

Ran into a problem.

The red X to close a window is no longer a flick of the wrist away. It's not at the corner of the screen so it takes more effort to get right on it and close a window. I need to figure out a way to close windows with a mouse button or something, always hated doing that. Most of the time I just hit Ctrl+W, Ctrl+F4 or Alt+F4. If I could close with a mouse button it wouldn't matter where my cursor is.

[chris.c]

On the left side, for maximum vertical realestate on a 1280x800 laptop.

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/5519/win7dt.jpg