Dual-Monitors on Ubuntu

I recently got a second LCD monitor for my Ubuntu 10.04 64-bit machine and now I am using dual monitors which is pretty cool.
The first one is a 22" LG Flatron L222WS (1680 x 1050) and the recent one, which is now the primary one, is a 23" Dell SP2309W (2048 x 1152).
I had these connected to a 1GB nVidia GeForce 8600 GT graphics card. The LG via VGA (blue cable) and Dell via DVI (white cable).
Dual monitors don't seem to be enabled automatically. It has to specified in the graphics card's control panel. The following is for NVidia.

Sytem > Administration > NVIDIA X Server Settings

1. Enable your disabled monitor !
2. Enable Xinerama.
3. Save to Configuration File. (Click the button Save to Configuration File)
4. Logout & Re-Login to restart X - (CTRL + ALT + BACKSPACE may or may not work)

Now, to get the panel onto the second monitor so that everything doesn't show as tabs on one monitor, you need to actually set a new (separate) panel for that monitor.

1. Right click on the current panel > New Panel. The new panel would probably be located on the right of the current monitor.
2. Right click on the new panel > Properties > Uncheck Expand, so that you can move the bar around to the next monitor
3. New panel > Properties > Orientation : Bottom
4. New panel > Add to Panel > Window List and Add.

You should now be able to minimize your second monitor tabs to the secnd monitor's panel.

Related :

• Two Screens Are Better Than One
• Penchant for Productivity at Directi
• Multiple Monitors and Productivity