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I'm confused, you make it sound like there is something unique to OSX here. But every Linux WM has had virtual desktops since ages ago and virtual desktops are

I'm confused, you make it sound like there is something unique to OSX here. But every Linux WM has had virtual desktops since ages ago and virtual desktops are a superior solution to just fullscreen windows (they can do the same for fullscreen windows+do the same for groups of windows... )

dagw 5y ago
OS X also has normal virtual desktops. The 'unique' feature of OS X is that when you maximize a window instead of maximizing on your current desktop, covering any other windows you have open, it creates a new virtual desktop and moves the maximized window there. When you de-maximize it automatically moves the window back to its original virtual desktop and removes the temporary desktop you created.
- Macha 5y ago
  I've always found this behavior of OS X super confusing as it means full screening a window breaks my mental model of workspace arrangement when I use the workspace left/right commands. I much prefer i3's behaviour of full screen just being a state on the window you can toggle.
- distances 5y ago
  So that's why maximize behaves so weirdly on Mac! I find it pretty jarring so I only use maximize now for some meetings and presentations if I have to use Mac.
  - GekkePrutser 5y ago
    Yeah and even before they did this, maximise behaved weirdly on a Mac. It didn't maximise to the screen but to the "content" which meant that some apps would not maximise fully. You can still initiate the old behaviour by holding option when you click the green dot, by the way. But macOS (at least since macOS X) has never had a maximise in the way that most other desktop environments have it. To simply make a window occupy the whole screen on top of everything else.
- GekkePrutser 5y ago
  I actually hate this with a passion. Because it breaks the order of my virtual desktops, the new temporary one gets inserted after the one you maximised the application from. So the order gets completely messed up after that. I love using many virtual desktops so YMMV.

dagw 5y ago

OS X also has normal virtual desktops. The 'unique' feature of OS X is that when you maximize a window instead of maximizing on your current desktop, covering any other windows you have open, it creates a new virtual desktop and moves the maximized window there. When you de-maximize it automatically moves the window back to its original virtual desktop and removes the temporary desktop you created.

Macha 5y ago
I've always found this behavior of OS X super confusing as it means full screening a window breaks my mental model of workspace arrangement when I use the workspace left/right commands. I much prefer i3's behaviour of full screen just being a state on the window you can toggle.
distances 5y ago
So that's why maximize behaves so weirdly on Mac! I find it pretty jarring so I only use maximize now for some meetings and presentations if I have to use Mac.
- GekkePrutser 5y ago
  Yeah and even before they did this, maximise behaved weirdly on a Mac. It didn't maximise to the screen but to the "content" which meant that some apps would not maximise fully. You can still initiate the old behaviour by holding option when you click the green dot, by the way. But macOS (at least since macOS X) has never had a maximise in the way that most other desktop environments have it. To simply make a window occupy the whole screen on top of everything else.
GekkePrutser 5y ago
I actually hate this with a passion. Because it breaks the order of my virtual desktops, the new temporary one gets inserted after the one you maximised the application from. So the order gets completely messed up after that. I love using many virtual desktops so YMMV.