Full Screen View in OS/X Apps?

A

AndyG

Registered
Anyone else think this is a desirable feature, especially for browsers? Or is it only something that an ex-Windows user would want? On my 12.1 iBook I'd love to have the full screen for my browsing, both to maximise space and also to remove "distractions" like the menu/title/status/dock etc.

Andy
 
I also think it's a good idea, and I would say defintely possible since iMovie and iDVD at least will hide the Dock when active.
 
Originally posted by wdw_
iDVD isn't full screen.
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Oh, true. iMovie is though, so it's possible to do. IE is defiicient in so many areas, though, that I think it would be more something like OmniWeb or Chimera that would do it.
 
i dont want that. uggh.

i like the menu system and window widget fine just the way they are. a full screen system could lead to the windows way of thinking with an ever changing menu across the top of the screen with little uniformity across the OS.
 
Originally posted by rinse
i dont want that. uggh.

i like the menu system and window widget fine just the way they are. a full screen system could lead to the windows way of thinking with an ever changing menu across the top of the screen with little uniformity across the OS.
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I think calling that a Windows way of thinking is like saying that a desktop filled with icons so you can't find anything and windows all over your screen so you have no idea what is what and a totally sloppily organized hard drive so you need Sherlock to find anything a 'Mac way of thinking'. I see that all the time on Macs. I see people in Windows keeping things maximized a lot, yes, but not so often. I think a full screen option would be very welcomed by a lot of people. Certain web pages would work well like that. Like when some of you put up full screen captures. Lessens the need for scrolling.
 
Personally the way apps go full screen in windows usually bugs the hell out of me, especially when I want to copy something from a different app while typing in another. Although it would be nice if the green plus button would make browsers full screen, especially when nothing else matters.

-Dixon
 
I usually have two or three apps open that I am working on at once, so seeing the other app is important to me.

Also the Desktop is like a desktop to me, and windows are like sheets of paper. I wouldn't want all my letters and memos on poster size paper covering my real desktop, and I don't want my windows covering my screen.
 
Originally posted by RacerX
I usually have two or three apps open that I am working on at once, so seeing the other app is important to me.

Also the Desktop is like a desktop to me, and windows are like sheets of paper. I wouldn't want all my letters and memos on poster size paper covering my real desktop, and I don't want my windows covering my screen.
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But you're acting like windows have to be maximized in Windows. It's only an option. I rarely have that when I use Windows. You are probably used to seeing the clueless Windows users like most Windows users are used to seeing mostly clueless sloppy Mac users. Goes both ways. ;-)
 
Personally, on XP, When Browsing the Web, i have 2-3 IE6 Windows open, at Least, so this to me be pointless! But hey! if your constricting youself to one window, that i guess it'd be cool!
Isn't it Mozilla, that has "Tabs" ? If you could have a browser, full screen with tabs, meaning you can access all the windows, it might come in handy! but there again, often, while browsing, you've got "Mail", "iTunes" and more going on! Ah Well, thats my opinion! ;)

NeYo
 
Actually I was talking about rooted apps (apps with more than one window that have to be rooted in a single window) like Photoshop in Windows. I can't have just the image windows and the palettes open like on the Mac OS or Irix where I can see other apps in the background. The freedom to move around and see what my other apps are doing is very important to me. I have quite a few years of experience working on Windows systems, and that is the thing that I dislike the most (also the thing I dislike about Star Office on Solaris).
 
Originally posted by RacerX
Actually I was talking about rooted apps (apps with more than one window that have to be rooted in a single window) like Photoshop in Windows. I can't have just the image windows and the palettes open like on the Mac OS or Irix where I can see other apps in the background. The freedom to move around and see what my other apps are doing is very important to me. I have quite a few years of experience working on Windows systems, and that is the thing that I dislike the most (also the thing I dislike about Star Office on Solaris).
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Oh, ok. I see what you're saying. Conversely, I prefer it like Photoshop is in Windows. I find it confusing how it is in Mac OS, which all kind of stuff in the background. I always hide others when it's open. Also one little thing I like about Photoshop for Windows is that double-clicking on the blank background will open the Open dialog box. :)
 
I couldn't live with apps like photoshop having a solid background and needing to take over my screen! I need to drag and drop stuff between apps and the desktop, no time to sit switching thru apps just so I can copy something over! The only reason it's like that on Windows is because of lack of a static menu bar and interface. Ew.
 
I guess the discussion diverged quite a bit. :)

I think having a browser (whether that'd be IE, NS, mozilla, OW, chimera) running full screen like iMovie (with the menu bar displayed) would be a very good option (option!) for people who a) come from Windows, b) like that 'feature' on Windows and c) want to browse without interference for a moment. Tabbed windows (like in mozilla) are a very good feature for this mode.

About 'Photoshop *needs* such a background, I have to hide all other apps on the Mac': Well that's why you *can* hide others on Mac OS and Mac OS X, right? That's one feature I always terribly miss on Windows, having to hide other applications one by one...
 
I never used fullscreen mode in IE on windows because I found it very annoying. I couldn't switch between windows and I couldn't see IRC or whatever IM or something in the background. It was just more annoying then it is useful. I can see it being useful for a kiosk or something but not for my everyday use.

But if its a feature that would attract some people then sure, why not.
 
I think that's the important thing, googolplex. I've converted three PC users to iBooks/TiBooks recently, and that was the most hindering missing feature to them. The great thing about them is that they really love how Mac OS X works. Of course they begin stating things like 'but that's totally unlike Windows', but after a minute their eyes start glowing and they start to discover how easy and powerful computing can be. I guess I'd want to reward them with a full screen browser for that. :eek:)
 
Personally, I didn't use full screen mode in IE all that much - but when I wanted to get stuck in to reading a long article or forum thread for example (i.e. didn't need "access" to other browser windows or apps), it was very nice to see just what I was concentrating on.

(A nice extension to a full screen option would be to simulate a portrait paper orientation - i.e. have black borders to either side of the window so that text lines don't wrap the complete width of the screen, like the full screen view in Acrobat Reader.)

I accept of course that this is very much personal preference - using the real desk analogy I personally prefer to organise my workspace such that I can only "see" the specific task at hand. Many more people (the majority probably) like to have pretty much everything they're working on visible.

Andy

P.S. I use Chimera under OS/X so a full screen option for that would be very nice thank you!
 
Originally posted by RacerX
Actually I was talking about rooted apps (apps with more than one window that have to be rooted in a single window) like Photoshop in Windows. I can't have just the image windows and the palettes open like on the Mac OS or Irix where I can see other apps in the background. The freedom to move around and see what my other apps are doing is very important to me. I have quite a few years of experience working on Windows systems, and that is the thing that I dislike the most (also the thing I dislike about Star Office on Solaris).
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Abso - FREAKIN' - lutley!

Try using some like Director or Dreamweaver (two apps the rely heavily on editor apps) on a PC vs. Mac... I'm not talking stability / speed or anything like that... I'm talking convenience and ease of use, and i find the Mac way of windowing much easier. No big catchall window in the BG holding all of the floating pallettes. I hate that!
 
Originally posted by fryke
About 'Photoshop *needs* such a background, I have to hide all other apps on the Mac': Well that's why you *can* hide others on Mac OS and Mac OS X, right? That's one feature I always terribly miss on Windows, having to hide other applications one by one...
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Either WindowKey+m or the option in the task bar will minimize all windows. Very handy.

Incidentally, through my KVM switch, the command/Apple key on my Apple keyboard gets changed to the Windows key when I am in Windows.
 
I am a full supporter of choice but I would never use this one. Just thinking about it makes my stomace lurch. I can't think of any reason you would want anything full screen because why else do we have multitasking? Whenever I go to the PC lab on campus I feel like I'm chained into one program. And if you try to tell me that you "can" use programs rootless then I'll tell you that you "can" watch an opera with 3d glasses on but it'll look like crap. Mac OS X handles the application scheme with grace and beauty and I wont ever use full screen mode.
 
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