no lock option for bottom and top panels

[Rich]

Binary package hint: gnome-panel

This is a big problem for new users working on laptops. Essentially due to the way the trackpad works the top panel will often be flipped to the left, right or side of the screen, with the user being unware of how to place the panel back up the top. After googling extensively and searching through all the gnome options there seems no option available to lock the top and bottom panels into place; this seem inconsistent with the general interface as it is very easy to lock in place items that are the panel itself. I would propose that the panels be locked by default and that an option to unlock the panels be incorporated on the right click contextual menu.

In terms of reproducing it just try using a laptop with a particuarly sensative touchpad...and I can gaurantee that you'll manage to flip the panel one side or the other.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

Thank you for your bug. That's known upstream: http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=309721

[William Lachance (wrlach)]

FYI, I created a patch against Gnome Panel subversion (2.21) which could be applied against Ubuntu's panel package in Hardy.

[William Lachance (wrlach)]

(see the GNOME bug for the aforementioned patch)

[Conrad Knauer (atheoi)]

Just wanted to add a quick comment to this bug; I helped my neighbor, a nice lady of retirement age, install Ubuntu and she has been bitten by this bug a few times (an easy fix, but scary to a computer newbie). I decided to check to see if it was in launchpad though after my young daughter came running to me, rather upset, about the same problem on her computer not too long ago (fortunately its already here and so I don't have to file a new bug :).

[Omegamormegil (omegamormegil)]

This bug drives me crazy. Everything on the panel jumps around periodically, sometimes after the screen resolution gets changed (such as when playing full screen games) or after upgrades. I get really tired of having to unlock everything, move it back, and re-lock it. You'd think that locking it would keep it from moving, but, practically speaking, it only prevents ME from putting it back after it moved itself.

[Martin Mai (mrkanister-deactivatedaccount-deactivatedaccount)]

Fixed upstream now.

[Xeno Campanoli (xeno)]

I am not seeing this anymore on my Hardy 64bit laptop System76 install. Reproducing it used to happen accidentially all the time, and I'm unable to do it on purpose now, nor do such accidents occur at all.

[Martin Mai (mrkanister-deactivatedaccount-deactivatedaccount)]

This is now fixed in Jaunty. The panel can now only be move while holding [ALT] down or via the option dialog. Thanks for reporting.