You can access almost all of the standard applications, commands, and configuration options from the Main Menu.
The Main Menu provides the following top-level menus and special menu items:
Applications: Contains all applications and preference tools. This menu also includes the file manager and the help browser.
Actions: Contains commands that enable you to perform desktop tasks, for example the Lock Screen and Log Out commands. The items in the Actions menu are at the top level of the Main Menu.
You can add Main Menu buttons to your panels. By default, the Main Menu is represented on panels by a stylized footprint icon, as follows:
You can open the Main Menu in the following ways:
From a panel with a Main Menu
Click on the Main Menu.
Use shortcut keys
You can use shortcut keys to open the Main Menu. When you use shortcut keys to open the Main Menu, the Main Menu appears at the mouse pointer.
The default shortcut keys to open the Main Menu are Alt+F1. To change the shortcut keys that open the Main Menu, choose Applications->Desktop Preferences->Keyboard Shortcuts.