2 ms·

What you say makes logical sense, but I share some of the OP's frustration, and it was particularly confusing when I started using a Mac, having come from the W

What you say makes logical sense, but I share some of the OP's frustration, and it was particularly confusing when I started using a Mac, having come from the Windows world. Heck, if we're being really logical, why isn't opening stuff the exact opposite of closing stuff? If that were true, opening a file would do nothing if its application weren't already running — and I don't think anyone wants that.

samatman 5y ago
The specific use case, which I do fairly frequently, is to Cmd-W the last open window and then Cmd-N for a new document, or Cmd-O to open an existing document. When I try that on Windows, the program closes, and I have to re-launch it. I daresay that's more annoying than discovering that a program hasn't quit when you think it should have.
- oneeyedpigeon 5y ago
  Yeah, I see your point. It really was about initial expectations — now I'm used to it, it's fine, but it was incredibly confusing coming from the Windows world ("why's this application still open? i can't even 'see' it, what's it doing?")
- PaulDavisThe1st 5y ago
  Where do you type Cmd-N/Cmd-O "into" if you just closed the last open window? I am not aware of macOS continuing to give kbd focus to an application with no open windows, but maybe I just don't use macOS enough to realize that it works this way.
  - mixmastamyk 5y ago
    Focus is still on the current app’s menu, unless you’ve clicked a new window.
- koyote 5y ago
  Well it depends on the program you are using but programs that follow a document-style layout usually allow you to close a document without quitting the program (in the File menu or Ctrl-W). The big 'X' will always quit the program though as that's what the user would expect. Imagine Chrome/Firefox's big 'X' only closing the current tab (is that how it works on a Mac?).

2 ms·

What you say makes logical sense, but I share some of the OP's frustration, and it was particularly confusing when I started using a Mac, having come from the W

by oneeyedpigeon 5y ago

samatman 5y ago
The specific use case, which I do fairly frequently, is to Cmd-W the last open window and then Cmd-N for a new document, or Cmd-O to open an existing document. When I try that on Windows, the program closes, and I have to re-launch it. I daresay that's more annoying than discovering that a program hasn't quit when you think it should have.
- oneeyedpigeon 5y ago
  Yeah, I see your point. It really was about initial expectations — now I'm used to it, it's fine, but it was incredibly confusing coming from the Windows world ("why's this application still open? i can't even 'see' it, what's it doing?")
- PaulDavisThe1st 5y ago
  Where do you type Cmd-N/Cmd-O "into" if you just closed the last open window? I am not aware of macOS continuing to give kbd focus to an application with no open windows, but maybe I just don't use macOS enough to realize that it works this way.
  - mixmastamyk 5y ago
    Focus is still on the current app’s menu, unless you’ve clicked a new window.
- koyote 5y ago
  Well it depends on the program you are using but programs that follow a document-style layout usually allow you to close a document without quitting the program (in the File menu or Ctrl-W). The big 'X' will always quit the program though as that's what the user would expect. Imagine Chrome/Firefox's big 'X' only closing the current tab (is that how it works on a Mac?).