[procedures described here are virtually identical for Ubuntu and Fedora so long as you are using the default GNOME and have not opted for KDE]

Screen space, especially vertical screen space, is precious on netbooks.  Here are a few tips for getting the most out of your 1024×600. Our end goal is something like this (click to see it bigger):

GNOME (some tips courtesy of Veit Wahlich):
1) In System -> Preferences -> Appearance change the theme to Clearlooks (smaller title bars and eliminates Ubuntu’s hideous orange theme).
2) In the Fonts tab of the Appearance window change the Rendering selection to Subpixel smoothing (LCDs).  More importantly, click on Details and change the resolution to 75 dots per inch.
3) Get rid of the bottom GNOME bar by right clicking on it and selecting Delete This Panel. If you like the remaining bar on the bottom, Windows-style, like me, right click on it and allow it to be moved, then drag it to the bottom of the screen. Next, right-click on System or Places and remove that bar element. Finally, add back a smaller GNOME menu and a window-display area by right clicking on an empty part of the toolbar, selecting Add to Panel, and adding Menu Bar and Window List. You will have to drag the elements around to make sure the Window List gets all the available space. You also might want to remove the Ubuntu default program icons, add ones of your choice, and lock GNOME bar elements in place. Also, right click on the time display, select Preferences and uncheck Show the date).

Firefox:
1) Turn off the Status Bar (View –> Status Bar).
2) Turn off the Bookmarks Toolbar (View –> Toolbars –> Bookmarks Toolbar).
3) Right click on one of the buttons on the navigation bar (say, the reload button). Select Customize and then check Use Small Icons and click Done.
4) Now for the fun bit. Install the extension Tiny Menu (Tools –> Add-ons and search for it). After you restart all of your menu has been condensed into a single button, leaving your main toolbar nearly empty. Right click somewhere on the toolbar and choose Customize. Ignore the window that pops up and move all of the elements on the Navigation bar (back/forward buttons, URL space, search box, everything) onto the main toolbar next to the menu. Try and maintain the same order to avoid confusion. Select Done on the window you have been ignoring. When done you should be left with a bar that has the condensed menu and all of the normal navigation buttons and spaces. The navigation toolbar however will be empty. Get rid of it (Menu –> View –> Toolbars –> Navigation Toolbar). Voila, your screen should look something like mine.

Extra:
1) For the sake of speed and indirectly, esthetics, turn off Visual Effects (GNOME Menu Button –> Preferences –> Appearance, Visual Effects tab, select None).