Maximize shortcut?

[RobinS]

So many times I open a window and it doesn't open to fill the screen because OS X in its lofty know-it-all attitude deems it unnecessary as it seems to think it has an all-knowing grasp on my future window size needs. Of course as soon as I start working in that window that is big enough to show my info, I do something else in that window and I either have to use the scroll bars or drag the upper left hand corner to the top and bottom right hand corner to the bottom. This happens many, many times a day.

In Windows the shortcut Alt+Spacebar+X instantly enlarges the window to its largest dimensions.

Isn't there any command that does this in OS X? The green button sometimes does it, but often doesn't, making it bigger, but not as large as it could be.

There must be a keyboard command that does this frequently needed service.

Or at least an app that does it?

Of all the illogical aspects (and there are hundreds) of OS X, this has got to be the most tedious and time wasting.

[barhar]

There are many (operating system) camps - Windoze is one and Macintosh is another.

The way the MacOS zooms a window is not illogical, but in accordance with the Graphic User Interface guidelines - for that operating system (although Apple does not necessarily follow them either ...).

Do not expect a one for one action on the Mac, as is on a Windoze running PC; or visa versa. Accept the operations of each operating system as they are, and learn the needed steps to produce your desired results - accordingly.

[ra3ndy]

The purpose of the green button is to enlarge the window to be as big as the content, stopping at the edges of the screen, of course.

So, theoretically, say you're working with a 9 page Excel Spreadsheet, 3 pages by 3 pages, at full size, and you click the green button, it SHOULD go fullscreen. (without covering the dock)

[dmetzcher]

Originally Posted by barhar

There are many (operating system) camps - Windoze is one and Macintosh is another.

The way the MacOS zooms a window is not illogical, but in accordance with the Graphic User Interface guidelines - for that operating system (although Apple does not necessarily follow them either ...).

Do not expect a one for one action on the Mac, as is on a Windoze running PC; or visa versa. Accept the operations of each operating system as they are, and learn the needed steps to produce your desired results - accordingly.

I would second this, but also agree with the person who posted the initial question. I wish there were a shortcut, just in case I wanted the window maxed out, and didn't want to click-and-drag. I think something like a memory would be nice, too, where you could save your ideal window size to a preference somewhere, for each application, and use a standard keyboard shortcut to execute the command. This would require developers to all support this standard, and would require the app to write to a preference file (it's own would work).

If one never used a Windows computer before, the lack of this feature wouldn't be noticeable. While I agree that we should not expect each OS to do what the other does (or, hey, my Mac would be crashing more often than it does, which is almost never), I also think that certain features, of both operating systems, are good, and this includes Windows. Just because it's not really secure, and WinXP looks like a skin on top of Win95, and it uses a system registry, doesn't mean that Microsoft has zero to add to the discussion. I just think Apple does it better most of the time, and I'm willing to complain about missing features, never get them, and still use a Mac, because I still like the experience.

[RobinS]

The smart designer extracts the best of both worlds to constantly improve his product. Pride, ego, history.....has no influence. Of course Windows does many things better - but Windows is insecure and prone to instability. It will never change til Bill or others at the top demand better. Or leave. I'm sure Linux does many things better than either. Pride is the enemy here. There is no earthly, logical, remotely conceivable reason why there shouldn't be a quick, effortless keyboard shortcut to instantly make the window fill the screen in OS X. Likewise the many commands that change between apps is absurd. (Why doesn't Enter open files in Finder? What is Command+Arrow down? Utter stupidity. Why rename with Enter? Why not let the user pick? Why not let new OS X people use F2 like Windows so people migrating over don't have to learn one more useless command? Why is Command/Alt and Option reversed? Yes this can be reversed, but why not just have a Windows type skin? Why not have a normal app like Windows Explorer built in...probably the best part of Windows....instead of having to buy Pathfinder? Finder majorly sucks. Those stupid columns that can't remember anything, that can't resize to fit the widest named file/folder in Column view, that won't allow more than 40% of the screen width for names in List view...I could go on for days on this pitiful program's gross deficiencies.

I wonder if there are legal issues here.....if Microsoft could sue Apple for making the OS look too similiar?

Why not just use each for its strengths? An online machine that runs most apps = OS X. An offline machine for gaming and business apps not available on OS X = Windows. Both joined with a KVM switch, or better yet, have a monitor for each so one can monitor activity on each system and just use the KVM for the USB keyboard and mouse. The Mac can be the creative side, the Windows can be the technical/business side. If they could figure out how to switch just between hard drives, one machine might be able to run both OS's concurrently. Or maybe even on the same hard drive? Wouldn't that be amazing.

Why? Pride................that's why. And perhaps some legal issues too. Not sure about that though.

And price the software reasonably, flood the P2P networks with bogus OS files so buying it new is a no brainer. Encouraging help sites like this and Usenet to educate the public would work wonders too.

When Apple sellss a 15 cent DVD for $129, that's got to be a rather great profit model. So why not just focus on the OS? Aperture, Safari, Finder, iTunes (ok - its a money maker but the player sucks), and on and on.....so many mediocre programs that are bettered so easily with 3rd party apps.

Imagine Apple focusing on that huge profit margin and get out of the computer hardware business totally......imagine an Intel machine with a $100 motherboard, a $100 cpu and everything else the same as a Windows machine? Imagine the volume they would sell? Imagine if every PC store started selling OS X? And why wouldn't they? They both have a purpose. Sure Apple could sell their iPods and other toys to boost profits. Go for it. Just don't waste time on apps that are losers. The OS is a winner. Stick with that. Unless someone is braindead in math, a quick computation assures the consumer they are being royally taken to the cleaners when they buy a Mac computer. Think....only the motherboard and cpu are different. Everything else is PC compatible. Now going Intel is closing that gap. How much longer should Apple expect the lobotamized buyer to continue to pay $1000 more for a $200 mb/cpu combo?

[RobinS]

And also......why are the vast majority of OS X users so utterly complacent over these obvious shortcomings? If the public demanded more logic, the company would have to deliver. Its really our fault this OS isn't far better.

[adambyte]

lol... I see we've gotten off-topic here....

The reality is, the mentality behind the Mac's "zoom" button is that it shows you as much of the window as you need to in order to view all of the window's contents. The Mac OS is centered around the idea that you can multitask, and easily see other windows behind it, letting you click them and bring them to the front. Why bother having all that blank space?
So, as much as most Mac users prefer the way the Mac works, there are still quite a few switchers who are peeved. And I have to admit, there are rare times when I would find it convenient, too.

I believe there are some AppleScripts that will stretch the window to its maximum for you... also, I think QuicKeys does this.... might want to look into QuickKeys.

[sinclair_tm]

if you dislike apple that much, why use it? if windows is that much better for your needs, then use it. i am a big mac fan, and wish windows was more like aqua. but its not, and when i use win xp, i shift mental gears and get going. i guess i'm a freak or somthing, because i have never had these kinds of problems. when useing win, i don't wish for aqua, and when using aqua i don't wish of win.
as far as win security, i have never had any problems. i keep it up to date, and control what i do and where i go on the web. i know ie has holes, so i use netscape. i don't goto the kind of web sites that are know for installing things, and only download from trusted sites. by using common sence, i have gone for over 6 months with out having any malware show up on my computer, and have never had a major malware on my win pc ever.
as far as shortcuts, have you looked in mac help yet? all the finder short cuts are listed there, and i seem to remember that at one thime there was a shortcut to do as you wished, but i don'r remember because i have never had need to use it, i just click the green button and go on my merry way. and i love the finder, always have. it works so well for me. i use iphoto to organize photos, itunes for my music, put movies in the movies folder, and my documents in the folder of the same name. i download things to a folder titled downloads and so on. if you give your folders discriptive names, and keep it simple, with out making folders to deep, the finder can be a very quick and effictive means of finding files. <gets off soapbox>