my monitor is 16:10, but even so i've gotten used to a 2-windows-side-by-side layout for most use cases, and i currently use a top panel.
i'm always interested in vertical panels but i've never really found one that suits me, both design- and functionality-wise... (i need to see both the currently playing song and a clock even when windows are maximized).

Top. Not sure why except out of habit.

I'd rather have none, but in practise I find that I usually need a place for a clock and a network manager.

I had expected far more (maybe a 3 or 4 to 1 ratio) in favor of bottom but the choice between bottom and top is very close.

That depends, I either use top, bottom or both, the latter being my most common setting.

I very rarely use side panels, but that might happen too, especially when running VirtualBox VMs in seamless mode so having multiple desktop environment competing on my screen.

Most if not all polls should really have a "none of the above" and possibly an "all of the above" choice...

Yes Linustalman, vertical left and other across top, no vote from me, as no left or right... rofl, too many options in linux, bit like tea, use to be black or with milk, now its, herbal, black, chia etc etc(a bit like linux)... :-)

Hi wraithe, thanks for commenting anyway. Don't forget red berries tea - it's lovely. :-)

I will keep that in mind for future reference. Thanks jlliagre.

"Too many" is better than "not enough" although that for that specific question, Windows also allows its panels (a.k.a taskbars) to be located at the top, bottom, left or right sides of the screen.

of course, this is linux after all (he said, in a somewhat ironical and derogative tone).
could we discuss something relevant now?

and an option for it depends
couldn't vote because it depends
bottom for KDE
top for XFCE

Same here!

Panel on the bottom (permanently displayed), Cairo-Dock on the top (auto-hidden).

Sadly very conservative in my panel placement.

When I worked support, from time to time our programmers would get on the phone with customers (the company's attitude towards support was unique in my experience). To do that, the programmers would come into the support office and use the support office's computers and phones.

Note that this was before wide-screen monitors.

One of our programmers would always leave my computer with a big Windows taskbar (that's Windows for "panel," for those who may not know) on the right side of the screen.

Frosted my cake every time. (I never complained, because we really appreciated that the programmers would go so far out of their way to help our callers.)

Just as file tabs are on the top file folders, panels belong on the top of the screen.

I usually leave them wherever they default to, though I typically set their height to about double the default and mostly use 16:10 screens.

Mac > top
Windows > bottom
OS/2 > top
TDE > bottom
KDE > bottom
IceWM > bottom

Those with Linux that default to top are those I rarely or never use, e.g. Gnome & XFCE.

One of my displays is a 21:9. I can't imagine trying to use a side panel on it - too much sideways pointing device movement required.

Order of preference, top - bottom - side (but only on a wide screen), as some of us do still use 4x3 & 5x4 screens.