Comments on: Mac vs. Windows – It’s All About The “Maximize” Button

By: Ryan

Ryan — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:19:19 +0000

You can maximize to a full screen in mac, just use the zoom command under the view pulldown, or the keystroke shortcut, then click the green plus sign to resize your window to fit the zoomed window. If you don’t like everything being magnified, you can go back under the view command and set it back to normal size, but the ‘window’ will stay full screen. Sounds complicated, but it’s really easy, even for me as I’ve only been using my new macbook for a few hours, and have come from decades of using a PC. I have to say, it’s a learning curve, but a satisfying breath of fresh air too!

By: Jason

Jason — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 11:57:38 +0000

I agree Stuee, I find the Max OS X UI very frustrating. I want to be able to maximise my windows instead of having to drag and resize every time.

By: Stuee

Stuee — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 05:11:25 +0000

MS Windows tip: For those of you who don’t know…

ALT+TAB switches between applications
CTRL+TAB switches between windows/documents within an application

Further to this, adding SHIFT to either key combo does the same in both cases, but reverses the direction – so you can go back and forth at will.

SHIFT also reverses the TAB function when navigating text entry areas in forms, or buttons on a website for example.

So now no Mac users can complain that there isn’t an equivalent to the CMD+TAB combo.

Hope this helps :-)

(Incidentally, I use both Windows and Mac OS and find many things about the Mac UI extremely frustrating. Maximise and menus, mostly. If only the UI was as customisable as Windows, then I could choose the behaviour I prefer/require and get on with my bloody work!)

By: Michael C

Michael C — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 09:24:16 +0000

Looks like most people would prefer a true full screen maximise. The silly thing with the way the mac works is that the size of the content constantly changes in some apps (mainly web browser) and resizing it to what the current page happens to require is just plain silly.

By: Dbleader61

Dbleader61 — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 06:40:55 +0000

Scott Rose – all this absolutely uninformed discussion completely negated by your post. Just bought our macbook pro and were about to return it but now we won’t. Can’t believe no one knew this or that apple doesn’t feature it in their sales/advertising/manual…..

By: Malih

Malih — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 02:42:38 +0000

not one single comment mentions RightZoom, http://lifehacker.com/5240827/rightzoom-makes-the-os-x-maximize-button-more-like-windows

By: pinkturbokitty

pinkturbokitty — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 03:03:26 +0000

I tend to have most of my Windows maximised. It all depends on what I’m doing. I keep my IM Windows the same size they are and then when I recieve a message I plop it on the screen where I can still see what I’m doing, maybe sizing it down a bit to fit while I allow it to sit there, when that window doesnt need my attention anymore I click back over to what I was doing. and then when the window needs my attention again, it’ll be plopped it that spot and I can still see what I was reading/doing so I dont get distracted.

By: Scott Rose

Scott Rose — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:09:49 +0000

On the Mac, you can hold down the OPTION key while clicking on the green maximize button to maximize an individual window to full screen. Note that this doesn’t work in all applications, but it works in MOST applications. It works in about 90% of the applications I’ve tried.

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:41:29 +0000

I’m gonna sound very odd here, but here goes… I use Macs and PCs all the time. At home though, I try to use my Amiga as much as I can (reading this on it), and all along it has had a similar approach to Mac – not having a maximise button, instead having a “zoom” button. However, AmigaOS also gives the option to maximise by holding down shift as you click on the zoom button. It was be awfully easy for Apple to add that function and keep people happy! However, with applications like MS Office and Photoshop having toolbars etc. in their own windows, this could cause trouble with your toolbars disappearing behind the document. I guess it’s something the user would get used to quickly though.

As an aside, another thing I miss when I go to both Windows and Mac is the ability to overlap windows including the window that has focus. For example, I can have my browser maximised and be using it, yet still have a text document or something open and visible over part of the browser’s window. Instead of automatically jumping to the front, I double-click to bring a window to the front. You’d be amazed at how useful it can actually be!

By: luisgo

luisgo — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:29:36 +0000

I don’t understand why apple doesn’t simply rise above the argument and provide a little option in the appropriate preference window to let users choose how they want this button to work. That’s it… argument eliminated, users happy, less friction for new converts, done.

I am 100% mac but this still bothers me. I maximize to eliminate distractions while I work on certain programs. If I want the browser window to be the size of the site, I’ll, on those rare occasions, resize the window myself.

WhyTF impose something like this?

By: Simone

Simone — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 05:06:49 +0000

when windows are overlapping and there’s not a thick enough frame around windows (MAC) it’s easy to mistakenly click on a window in the background. I hate it. maximize forever!

By: Rob Hall

Rob Hall — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:56:18 +0000

1) A significant number of people would like to see a maximise button/command/short-cut for windows in apple’s interface.
2) Maximise is very useful for laptops or PCs with smaller monitors (i.e. the majority of computer users).
3) This is my number one reason for not purchasing a mac and I always mention it to people considering buying a mac. Mostly this puts them off.
4) I can see only one reason for not allowing this option – stubbornness. (I think the same about the one button mouse).
5) It just needs to be an option, you don’t have to use it and then everybody is happy! It is that simple.

By: Mitur Binesderti

Mitur Binesderti — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:40:04 +0000

Oh and ignore the douchbag that said to Google SIMBIL. That’s just some a-hole that wants you to go to his lame azz facepage. There is no such thing as megazoom.

If it existed the idiot would have given an actual link instead of BS’ing about some fake app.

By: Mitur Binesderti

Mitur Binesderti — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:34:50 +0000

I just bought a Mac Mini after being a hardcore PC user (and programmer) for decades and I love it.

But the maximize is annoying as hell. Instead of maximizing I’m constantly minimizing my windows because I’m used to double clicking on the title bar. I’ll just have to learn to use the OS properly.

I also usually maximize to desktop for my browser ON MY SECOND MONITOR! So, I think thats a bit of a paradigm switch and should be addressed.

Though I should say I have noticed that maximizing height with the browser but not width has been much more useful than thought even if the weird “maximize” is very annoying at first because as any good human I hate change.

By: Anon

Anon — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 01:26:52 +0000

What are you talking about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OF COURSE THE HUMAN BRAIN WAS MENT FOR MULTI-TASKING!!!!!

By: Jack

Jack — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 01:05:44 +0000

I will betcha anything that most mac users, were they able to, would max to full screen at least some of the time. They do not have this ability though, so they defend their mac’s inability to do it. Windows can tile, and you can resize to however you want it. It remembers your resizing for your next session! With one click, your back to normal again. Buying a Mac means you have to do it their way or no way.

How can it possibly be that the people who normally clamor to be individuals in our society – i.e. creative, liberal, think outside the box people, (like me) chose to use the very platform that does NOT allow you to be an individual?

This does not makes sense. Mac OS is a fascist dictatorial system.

By: Right click...

Right click... — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:38:50 +0000

NO!…We will not let you have one click access to full screen for any window!!
NO!…We will not let you have one click access to full screen for any window!!
NO!…We will not let you have one click access to full screen for any window!!
NO!…We will not let you have one click access to full screen for any window!!
NO!…We will not let you have one click access to full screen for any window!!
NO!…We will not let you have one click access to full screen for any window!!

By: Mhenr18

Mhenr18 — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 13:48:44 +0000

I always liked macs – actually switch just over a year ago though. I just use the mega zoom hack though (google SIMBIL and get the megazoom plugin) when want it. Also, cmd-~ is a godsend in Xcode. However, it appears that on many apps, the + does pretty much a maximize. I’d like to see it go back to it’s original 10.0 implemtation. 10.0 had the + hide every other window on the screen, and switching windows would minimize the unused window. That was an excellent idea IMO

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:04:34 +0000

Correct me if I’m wrong…isn’t there enough room to simply add another button? one that would fill the entire screen with one window? we are talking about a computer program that can be changed, who said there can only be three buttons?? I also find the little circles to small to actually be functional anyway.

By: RMS

RMS — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:53:36 +0000

After years of PC use (but ironically even before PCs my experience was with an Apple II(e?)) I purchased a MacBook. I agree with the original poster that the human brain is not designed for multi-tasking; at best we snipe at a series of tasks until one, or more, is completed. Inefficient and prone to causing errors. Regardless, I too digress.

I’ve used various software apps, and dumb terminals, that allow multiple open “windows” but when working on a task I prefer the task at hand to occupy the entire available display. Does that mean I “lost sight of the big picture”? No. It means I am not distracted from the task at hand.

By: asdf

asdf — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 22:47:48 +0000

I know this is ages old, someone mentioned the Task Bar/Application Launcher Bar in Windows, which shows apps running and another area for apps not running… as opposed to Mac where you just click on 1 icon. Just wanted to say Windows 7 will be having that.

One more thing I wanted to mention is, nowadays I don’t say this or that OS is copying, I think if Mac does something cool (a lot of stuff, like the Expose, the Dash Board in the background, the Preview, the multiple desktops (which is old, I know), etc…) then I think, hopefully Windows will get it, and vice versa.

Simple solution to the debate… add a 4th button for maximizing to full-screen

By: Nick Williams

Nick Williams — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 05:03:04 +0000

I think it’s a silly argument – that the OSX interface is designed to be used with multiple windows, side by side, etc. If that’s the case, then they’re really shooting themselves in the foot if they’re trying to say they have a good idea. If they want things to be used side by side, they wouldn’t make a single application’s menu accessible at a time. If I’m supposed to be able to use Terminal and Safari side by side quickly, why can’t I hit the other’s menu without first focusing on its window?

Mac is great and all, but trying to pawn off their silly window UI by saying it’s supposed to aid in multitasking is taking the piss. You can’t even tell when you’re in the “User” size mode versus the “Developer’s Recommendation” size mode. That’s just silly. I’ve yet to read a good argument for their methods of dealing with window sizing and menus.

By: Mac Or Windows

Mac Or Windows — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:15:23 +0000

Thanks for not doing the…

Macs awesome
Vista Sucks

Vista’s Awesome
Mac Sucks

You showed both sides fairly. I am a windows user once I get $1Million I’ll buy one. No seriously I like Macs it’s just I don’t have 4Grand Laying around in my back pocket. I like Windows because it’s more business. Mac is the real definition of a [P]ersonal [C]omputer.

Hope you write more articles like this, so I can decide if I really (and many other people) want of Mac (or Windows)

By: Andrew12

Andrew12 — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:19:01 +0000

The reason Apple has it that way is so that…

1. They don’t copy Microsoft…
2. It makes the window the largest it can be so why does it matter so much?

………………..

By: Everything

Everything — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 17:31:47 +0000

I trust Linux.

I like Mac.

I use Windows.

By: Ron

Ron — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 20:20:01 +0000

I see a need for both and it is a shame that neither Mac nor Windows have realized the advantages of providing both.

Because I am easily distracted, I need and often use windows ability to completely fill the screen with a single window (even at the 1440×900 resolution I currently use). It helps me to stay focused on a single task.
I also frequently need to right-size windows to the documents with which I am working so that I can display them simultaneously and interact between them.

So, why not four buttons? — Minimize, Manual Size, Auto Size, Maximize.

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 00:23:43 +0000

I know alot of people are going to argue multitasking and it’s ‘advantages’ on mac.

Sure you can have all these windows/applications open and see them all with things like expose (there are windows programs to do the same), but honestly MOST applications today allow you to multitask within the application itself.

Take a program like a webpage editor. You have everything you need to multitask inside that editor all at once with multiple windows open switching from code, to preview, to editing css, to whatever.

If I see an email come in, I can just hit a button (regardless of os) and retrieve it. My mail program doesn’t have to have a designated spot on my screen around the application I’m running for me to multitask (1 button click both os can do it).

To each his own.

By: Brian

Brian — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 00:19:03 +0000

I maximize almost 100% of the time on my applications (except maybe notepad).

When I use a mac it’s the thing that bugs me because I am so used to having my application on the whole screen (less the taskbar).

I have nothing against macs or those who use them productively, but they are just not for me because they don’t offer me anything that windows doesn’t give me.

Even if I could use all my custom software on a mac (which does not work) I really have no incentive to use a mac over windows since I like maximized applications at all times.

I have installed cloned versions of the dock, expose, and widgets on my pc, but I found I really had no need for them and I would gladly give them all up for my taskbar.

Again if you love the mac, keep at it.

By: Lalalala

Lalalala — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 20:10:45 +0000

I love it how people are actually trying to spin a shortcoming as an advantage. I love the mac aesthetic, and strong emphasis on style and design. But not allowing people to maximize a window is redonkurus. Saying you don’t need the maximize capability is like saying you don’t need air conditioning or power steering in a car, it’s technically true, but entirely nonsensical.

It’s like being so resentful of Microsoft that your judgment goes completely blind, kind of like saying you don’t need a two button mouse, or a scroll wheel, or the cut and past functionality. C’mon just suck it up, stop giving us useless graphical masturbation like Coverflow without giving us the opportunity to maximize.

By: Rowan

Rowan — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 08:50:01 +0000

There is a program called STOPLIGHT that lets you make OSX maximise properly, if you want, on a per application basis if you want. Should be just what you guys need. It’s free. Personally, I never use it. How many people have used CMD + Tilde? (the key above tab) It’s like CMD TAB (ALT TAB for windows users) but for the documents open in the current app. So, CMD Tab swaps between all running programs. CMD TILDE ( ` symbol ) swaps between all documents in the current program. So very handy, i use it all the time. holding shift reverses direction of course. On a large screen I don’t need maximise, and for the apps where it is needed, they have a full screen mode anyway. When i squeeze the mouse, that invokes expose but i don’t use that too much. On the mac you can set up your own keyboard shortcuts for any menu function in any application. I’ve done this so that CMD+OPTION+X (combo can be done with mashing that part of the keyboard quickly with your thumb) does the green button zoom function. I use this on the web, where each window gets maximised to the web pages’ own width, and the full height of the screen if the page is taller. I hate seeing a page in the middle of a 20″ screen on a PC becuase the site was designed for 1024 pixel width. I guess it works both ways.

To the person who said about widescreens, i think they are far better for office tasks. My mum has poor eyesight, and can zoom to page width and everything is so much larger, where as i can see a pair of A4 pages side by side including tool bars. In word, this results in pages being viewed at 117%, so it’s very readable.

By: alex

alex — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 17:58:40 +0000

i think that the actual look and feel of the mac is better than windows xp. but i hate the position of the close minimise and the maximise buttons on the mac, and they are too small. i personally use vista ultimate which looks better than the mac, its easier to use and more secure than the mac.

By: use linux :)

use linux :) — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 12:34:39 +0000

Just my thoughts on the subject… if you go to an art gallery do they put a painting on a background of numerous colours/shapes? no! because you brain cannot cope with all the different things at once. Iam frustrated with macs, when i open pdfs they are rediculouly small text and i have to drag open the window and zoom in. I dont have that trouble in windows. I find it incredibly hard to find the window i just minimised behind the mess of other windows. At the end of the day i think windows and macs are trying too hard to been different from one another and end up with crap bits for the sake of it. Linux is so much better they use all the good bits and don’t worry that much about being cool. The mac iam on at the moment may look good all shiney and white but the stupid usbs,power button etc is on the back !!!!! design over usability need i say more… rant over :) ps good article

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By: Shukri

Shukri — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 21:55:32 +0000

I work on windows (dual screen), I got a MacBook and I’m trying to migrate because windows suck (not looking forward for Vista). The good thing about maximizing windows is, for example, in Macromedia apps or Photoshop you get all the panels within the window,clean and organized, easy to use; but in mac the panels get confusing with other windows behind them; I find it anoying and untidy.
Expose rocks, thats true, but they should make these kind of apps with a button to maximize and keep all panel inside the app window.

By: bob

bob — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 22:01:23 +0000

I want another button in the mac to maximize the window. I hate that I have to drag it out on my own.Mostly true in the finder.

Apple needs to at least have a bunch of hidden keys to allow added options, such as command+green = fill screen with window.

these do work…

Option+red = close all windows

options+green = arrange all windows (this works well in the finder, but not many other apps)