Congratulations to whoever designed the left vertical panel in MX Linux!

[user101]

Thanks guys for the tips.

historical reference:
I think my 'learning' procedure was like this:

* I had turned off the welcome screen early on. Probably first startup.
* I developed a dislike for vertical bar/panel after I discovered its shortcomings, weeks or months later, or even a year later: I'm not exactly sure.
* I found out that right-clicking on different parts of the panel resulted in different results, many of which were useless and not what I was looking for. Confusing. Now if I check the panel, if I click on the very left-end or very right-end of it I can see Panel Preferences... Here the only options are vertical, horizontal and deskbar. Back when I did this, I remember it did horizontal but the horizontal ended up being on the top of the screen, and I wanted it on the bottom (like Windows). I don't know why it was so hard. If I check MX-Tweak now it gives you a choice of Horizontal Bottom, but not here in this context menu (why?), and it's not obvious to go looking for MX-Tweak to begin with. I thought I could just drag it without all the fuss, and now I can see that you can, after you unlock it, but I remember things differently. It was not as friendly as Windows, even though I would sooner ingest poison than go back to Windows now.

This could be my fault, or maybe MX-LInux was different back then. I think I may have started at 18 or 19, I don't remember.

Long story short: I did not find it obvious or friendly as Windows (ugh, I hate to say it). Similar issues with clock adjustment, etc. The UI itself doesn't seem to allow easy direct access...you have to search for it elsewhere. I can sort of understand why: various parts of Linux are made by so many different people and integration and cohesion is not always the best.

[asqwerth]

MX Tweak was created because some things are not so easy from the native XFCE settings. We can't change XFCE's own context menus.

That's why this panel orientation question is in the FAQ which is displayed on your desktop.

Unfortunately many users just don't read instructions even when they are readily at hand. Welcome screen has been there since (I think) MX15 or 16 16 or 17.

[davidy]

I just changed to the default (vertical to the left) the other day. I had to add a 2nd panel horizontally for the items like clock, cpu, network etc. just so the vertical panel wouldn't constantly jump around when the network values change. Strange but true.

[DukeComposed]

I just changed to the default (vertical to the left) the other day.

I think my very first MX install back in the 18.2 era ended up with my moving the panel horizontally out of habit. At some point around an install of either 19 or 21 I decided to leave the panel vertical on a temporary machine and I discovered it made running remote protocols like VNC and RDP so much better. Displays tend to be wider these days and a lot of online content is skinnier than it used to be, which the kids these days call "optimized for viewing on smartphones". This means that top and bottom real estate is a lot more valuable to me than anything on the far left or far right of the screen.

Hence, the MX vertical panel is in a great place to get out of the way of whatever I'm trying to display on the rest of the screen.

[dings]

The left vertical panel is also great for KDE Plasma, Linux Mint, Linux ..., Windows ... I could go on forever.

[asqwerth]

For Gnome, I'm used to the left vertical "dock" as well.

[MXRobo]

@user101
I think that the panel is generally fairly self-explanatory with the exception that it's recommended (stability?) to use MX-Tweak when moving the panel.

Also, three (3) methods (AFIK) to modify the panel:
1 - Whisker Menu → Panel [which opens Panel Preferences]
2 - MX-Tweak → Panel and or - - Panel again. [Again use when moving the panel]
3 - R-Click on the panel → Panel → Panel Preferences
["Add Items" can be selected, but I usually use "Panel Preferences" out of habit.]

I found out that right-clicking on different parts of the panel resulted in different results, many of which were useless and not what I was looking for. Confusing.

You may find # 1, or # 3 easier because you may have been occasionally R-Clicking on a Panel Item, Separator, Launcher, Docklike Taskbar, Action Button, or something else that was added to the panel, e.g. a Whisker Menu Item, and selecting Properties.

I check the panel, if I click on the very left-end or very right-end of it I can see Panel Preferences.

I'm probably incorrect about this, but I thought that previously if you R-Clicked on a "Panel Item" (or similar), that the "Panel Preferences" were not available, and that you had to move the cursor between the Panel Items, so that you could R-Click on the Panel and not the Panel Items. Maybe there were changes to this? Anyway.

You probably know this now, but you can:

In Panel Preferences → Display – Uncheck "Lock panel" and drag.
Although it should be moved with MX-Tweak.

Good Luck.

[user101]

Thanks for the insightful discussion & tips.

My main problem with vertical is simply less room & the inability to show things like Network Monitor properly. I think I may have had other issues with it that I don't remember, but that one sticks out for me. I gave it a fair go but it wasn't for me.

MXRobo, I noticed my panel is unlocked (I'm not sure why, heh). When unlocked it allows right-clicking on the leftmost or rightmost part of the panel (the 'grab handles'?), which shows Panel Preferences.... If the panel is locked, you are correct that getting to Panel Preferences will not work.