Update. This problem appears to be the System Notification applet failing to display on the panel.
When I lost icons again today I re-added the Notification area. (right-click, select add to panel, under utilities select the notification area and click add.) What I don't see is why the notification area "falls off" the panel from time to time. -- When I minimize a program it just disappears https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/187842 You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Desktop Bugs, which is a bug contact for gnome-panel in ubuntu. -- desktop-bugs mailing list [email protected] https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/desktop-bugs
