I’m a relatively new GNOME user, but as a long-time KDE and Windows user, and a single panel at the bottom, with some sort of menu on the left hand corner just “makes sense” to me. I’ve often wondered why more of the popular Linux distro’s don’t adopt what most new user’s to Linux would feel as “normal” as a default layout.

One good thing about Linux system is that you can change almost every single aspect of the system. Dislike the dull wallpaper? Change it. Not happy with the default splash screen? Change it. Getting bored of the default panel? You can change it as well.

Have you ever wondered what the actual command is behind the application you’re launching from the Applications Menu? I’ve found it useful a number of times, and I have two three methods of finding out what the command actually is. If there are any Gnome devs reading this, could finding the properties be made simpler directly from the menu itself?

Configuring default applications and associations in GNOME is easy. To change the global default application, go to System | Preferences | Preferred Applications.

If there's one thing that's always been true about Red Hat--they've always had an uncanny ability to stay on message with a single voice. "Uncanny" not in the X-Men sense, but more along the lines of "pain-in-the-butt-to-get-information-from" sense.

The default menu application in Ubuntu is functional, but it is also down to earth basic. GnoMenu tries to replicate the looks and functionality of KDE's Menu application. And I have to say, it almost does. GnoMenu comes with a number of themes and a easy to use configuration menu.

An awesome alternative to the default Gnome menu.
Yes this is the menu OpenSuse uses.

GnoMenu - A consolidated menu for gnome that brings eye candy to the world of the Gnome menu's. Fully functional menu , supports themes , for a composited or non composited desktop. It can emulate the look and feel of the most beautiful menus of most modern desktops, and it can also custom menus, due to its powerful theme XML engine.

Since Mark Shuttleworth said that moving the Metacity window buttons to the left "opens up the space on the right nicely", lots of button ideas came out. The most controverted one is probably Esfera, an idea which Mark forwarded to the Ayatana mailing list. A recent idea by Izo makes a lot more sense than all the previous ideas. Have a look (it's called "The Workflow Button")...