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I always find this interesting, my primary computing device that I do actual work on is Mac (technically I guess my primary is my iPhone or iPad if I go by time

I always find this interesting, my primary computing device that I do actual work on is Mac (technically I guess my primary is my iPhone or iPad if I go by time but I am not counting that). But I have a Windows computer for gaming and a few Linux machines lingering around. I constantly find myself frustrated by Windows because I am just used to how Mac operates. I have been using it as my primary compute device since Lion. However one of the things that I find interesting from the Window management point that I don't see mentioned, touchpad gestures. I cannot use Mac without gestures, even when I am using my laptop as a desktop I use the Magic Trackpad. The few times I have tried to use a mouse... it just feels wrong. I would highly recommend taking a look at this and looking at the window management from this prospective. Because of these gestures I never think I need to snap things because switching windows is a quick swipe and and a click. Then all the other gestures, hot corners, etc. That being said, I find the same issue with my partner. He has never used a Mac (has an iPhone though) but sometimes he needs to do something quick so grabs my laptop. It is fascinating watching him struggle with the trackpad and other basics that to me I don't even think about anymore.

colinmhayes 5y ago
Yea, I think what OP is missing is that macOS was designed to be used with a trackpad. I think three fingers up is what they want when they alt tab. The green button makes the window full screen because using three fingers sideways and the occasional three fingers up is the best way to manage windows on small laptop screens. Even on my external monitor I have every window fullscreen. This was admittedly hard to get used to moving from windows/linux, but it really is a much better way to do windows/virtual desktops. OP should ditch the mouse.
- nerdjon 5y ago
  I don't think it was necessarily designed this way to begin with, they didn't really add these gestures until well into OSX I don't think. But at the very least they have leaned very heavily into it. Considering they sell 2 devices to add gestures when you are not using a laptop. I find myself very rarely using cmd-tab because it just doesn't fit my use. I can either more quickly do that my moving my mouse to the bottom and accessing the Dock or 3 fingers up and everything pulls out. Throw in hitting "space" to quickly zoom into a window if I just need a quick piece of information but not open the app completely. I am largely the same with 3 monitors. At least 2 tend to be full screen apps with my center one being my mix of things, but it depends on what is happening. Each monitor has a desktop of scratch things (like notes) that I don't want full screen but just sits somewhere. The native tab support in the OS for things like VSCode helps a lot with this.
- tomtheelder 5y ago
  I've got an ultrawide, and everything full screen isn't really a viable strategy, but I generally agree about like just having workspaces and shifting between them instead of keeping a bunch of windows floating around. That said I would really prefer to use a mouse and one handed keyboard shortcuts in place of the trackpad, but when you transition applications/workspaces with the keyboard in macOS it plays the full (slooow) duration of the transition animation and you cant interact with anything until it finishes. Absolutely insane choice. On trackpad you can swipe faster and it changes faster. I end up using my laptop with a mouse, but then using the trackpad to do gestures. It's crazy, and I really wish I could do something about it.
- loganmarchione 5y ago
  > Yea, I think what OP is missing is that macOS was designed to be used with a trackpad. OP here. Yes, I'm starting to get that from reading these comments. Does everyone who uses a Mac with an external display also purchase the Magic Trackpad?
  - nerdjon 5y ago
    I would say a pretty good portion, enough that it is becoming more common that if IT either has a dedicated Mac person or they use Mac themselves... a new hire will likely just have a trackpad on their desk when they start. At least that has been my experience in recent years. But even if not, I know I have had conversations many times of people being frustrated with something (especially if they primarily use their Mac as a desktop) and a trackpad (and gestures) largely fixing it. As someone else said, Mac as long had a fantastic trackpad experience. Partially hardware for sure, but software is a major part of that. So they leaned into that and using a trackpad as a desktop initially felt like a really weird idea. But the ability to use the same control setup regardless of how I am using my laptop is awesome. I personally use a Mac Keyboard and Magic Trackpad. And I got https://www.twelvesouth.com/products/magicbridge https://www.twelvesouth.com/products/magicbridge from TwelveSouth that basically just turns it into one single piece. I would be completely lost if it wasn't for the trackpad. I tried the magic mouse and... it worked but it wasn't the same.
  - danaris 5y ago
    I use a MacBook Pro, and when I'm not just using the laptop on my lap, my usual setup has it connected to a dock with an external keyboard and a Magic Mouse. The Magic Mouse doesn't give access to all the different gestures the trackpad does, but it does let you use two-finger swipe left & right for switching spaces, and a two-finger double-tap for activating Mission Control (showing all the windows of the active space, as well as the active spaces along the top).
Hammershaft 5y ago
Mac OS is a better laptop OS, and Windows is a better desktop OS. Mouse support is poor on macs, window management is more painful, and multiple desktop support is rough. Meanwhile Windows has rough trackpad support, generally windows laptops have terrible battery life and buggy sleep.

colinmhayes 5y ago

Yea, I think what OP is missing is that macOS was designed to be used with a trackpad. I think three fingers up is what they want when they alt tab. The green button makes the window full screen because using three fingers sideways and the occasional three fingers up is the best way to manage windows on small laptop screens. Even on my external monitor I have every window fullscreen. This was admittedly hard to get used to moving from windows/linux, but it really is a much better way to do windows/virtual desktops. OP should ditch the mouse.

nerdjon 5y ago
I don't think it was necessarily designed this way to begin with, they didn't really add these gestures until well into OSX I don't think. But at the very least they have leaned very heavily into it. Considering they sell 2 devices to add gestures when you are not using a laptop. I find myself very rarely using cmd-tab because it just doesn't fit my use. I can either more quickly do that my moving my mouse to the bottom and accessing the Dock or 3 fingers up and everything pulls out. Throw in hitting "space" to quickly zoom into a window if I just need a quick piece of information but not open the app completely. I am largely the same with 3 monitors. At least 2 tend to be full screen apps with my center one being my mix of things, but it depends on what is happening. Each monitor has a desktop of scratch things (like notes) that I don't want full screen but just sits somewhere. The native tab support in the OS for things like VSCode helps a lot with this.
tomtheelder 5y ago
I've got an ultrawide, and everything full screen isn't really a viable strategy, but I generally agree about like just having workspaces and shifting between them instead of keeping a bunch of windows floating around. That said I would really prefer to use a mouse and one handed keyboard shortcuts in place of the trackpad, but when you transition applications/workspaces with the keyboard in macOS it plays the full (slooow) duration of the transition animation and you cant interact with anything until it finishes. Absolutely insane choice. On trackpad you can swipe faster and it changes faster. I end up using my laptop with a mouse, but then using the trackpad to do gestures. It's crazy, and I really wish I could do something about it.
loganmarchione 5y ago
> Yea, I think what OP is missing is that macOS was designed to be used with a trackpad. OP here. Yes, I'm starting to get that from reading these comments. Does everyone who uses a Mac with an external display also purchase the Magic Trackpad?
- nerdjon 5y ago
  I would say a pretty good portion, enough that it is becoming more common that if IT either has a dedicated Mac person or they use Mac themselves... a new hire will likely just have a trackpad on their desk when they start. At least that has been my experience in recent years. But even if not, I know I have had conversations many times of people being frustrated with something (especially if they primarily use their Mac as a desktop) and a trackpad (and gestures) largely fixing it. As someone else said, Mac as long had a fantastic trackpad experience. Partially hardware for sure, but software is a major part of that. So they leaned into that and using a trackpad as a desktop initially felt like a really weird idea. But the ability to use the same control setup regardless of how I am using my laptop is awesome. I personally use a Mac Keyboard and Magic Trackpad. And I got https://www.twelvesouth.com/products/magicbridge https://www.twelvesouth.com/products/magicbridge from TwelveSouth that basically just turns it into one single piece. I would be completely lost if it wasn't for the trackpad. I tried the magic mouse and... it worked but it wasn't the same.
- danaris 5y ago
  I use a MacBook Pro, and when I'm not just using the laptop on my lap, my usual setup has it connected to a dock with an external keyboard and a Magic Mouse. The Magic Mouse doesn't give access to all the different gestures the trackpad does, but it does let you use two-finger swipe left & right for switching spaces, and a two-finger double-tap for activating Mission Control (showing all the windows of the active space, as well as the active spaces along the top).

Hammershaft 5y ago

Mac OS is a better laptop OS, and Windows is a better desktop OS. Mouse support is poor on macs, window management is more painful, and multiple desktop support is rough. Meanwhile Windows has rough trackpad support, generally windows laptops have terrible battery life and buggy sleep.