stop force to front while performing tasks?

[processor93]

i like to multitask on the computer, so i find it really annoying when an app i tell something to do forces its way to the front when i've gone to another app in the meantime.

example, i may be collecting a file in indesign, and jump to safari to go to the ftp site i need to upload files to. at various points in the file collection including when finished, indesign suddenly jumps to the front again. this can screw things up as i may be in the middle of typing something in, next thing i know i'm typing in the wrong place.

i don't think this issue is limited to indesign, but it doesn't seem to be all tasks or all apps. for example, downloading in firefox doesn't cause this issue.

i think the same kind of problem happens whether i'm on a G4 running 10.3.9 or a G5 running 10.4.9.

is there some kind of preference, either in apps or in the system, that i can turn off to keep this from happening?