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Can OSX do this? (Windows can)

K

kangaroo

macrumors regular
Original poster
Feb 5, 2003
144
0
In Windows you can have the system automatically tile your windows either horizontally or vertically. If for example you wanted to have two browser windows tiled side by side, Windows will maximize each window within your screen. The only way I can see doing this in OSX is to manually size each window. Is there something I'm missing or a workaround?

Also, it would seem that unless you change the from the optimal native resolution you can't change the size of OSXs title bar text, buttons, etc. Is there a workaround for this?

Thanks.
 
As far as I know, OS X can not "tile" in the way that Windows can. It could be for several different reasons. I can only think of a couple like maybe they thought it wasn't used enough to implement it. I've used Windows since 3.1 and I can count on one hand how many times I used the tile feature. Of course when I did need it, it was nice to have, but I don't really miss it either. The other reason I can think of is that they found that people only used tile to find a browser window fast without having to flip through all the windows and to find it visually. But that is what expose is for.

As far as the appearance of the GUI, it's not very customizable right out of the box. There are programs written to change the things you are talking about (I think). I'm not big on doing that kind of thing so I don't have any programs or links. I'm guessing Apple doesn't like giving people choices because they like their stuff to look good. I've seen people change colors, fonts and font sizes in windows that looked like a nightmare. You could argue that if they like it, who cares, but Apple has an image to protect in some ways. I'm an architecture student, and if I designed a building to look a certain way, I would be horrified to see someone deface something I took a lot of time in making look good. To me it feels the same way with apple. They make it difficult to change how things look for a reason.

If you need to change those things because they are hard to see, the only thing I can think of is the zoom/contrast features in the Universal Access section of System Preferences.
 
adrianblaine said:
As far as the appearance of the GUI, it's not very customizable right out of the box. There are programs written to change the things you are talking about (I think). I'm not big on doing that kind of thing so I don't have any programs or links. I'm guessing Apple doesn't like giving people choices because they like their stuff to look good. I've seen people change colors, fonts and font sizes in windows that looked like a nightmare. You could argue that if they like it, who cares, but Apple has an image to protect in some ways. I'm an architecture student, and if I designed a building to look a certain way, I would be horrified to see someone deface something I took a lot of time in making look good. To me it feels the same way with apple. They make it difficult to change how things look for a reason.
Click to expand...

I'd probably agree with you but in theory, it should be the end user decision what their operating system looks like. Firstly because they have paid for their notebook and are thus in complete ownership of it, and secondly that it's really a matter of choice.
 
Open two browser windows. Activate expose.

Boom!

It can 'tile' LOADS of windows. I use it to pick out images from an entire folder. Open say 20 images. Hit F9 and they are all placed next to each other so I can then do as i wish with them.

Bye!
 
MacboobsPro said:
Open two browser windows. Activate expose.

Boom!

It can 'tile' LOADS of windows. I use it to pick out images from an entire folder. Open say 20 images. Hit F9 and they are all placed next to each other so I can then do as i wish with them.

Bye!
Click to expand...

not a real answer, of course- you can't work within those windows, you can only select one or the other.

i've often wished that i could use expose and then just KEEP those windows all nice and spread out!
 
OSX can't do this by design. The Mac GUI is meant to be more like a stack of paper on your desk. Programs sit on top of each other and you filp between them as you need to.

Windows has a separate set of GUI design guidelines, so some things work differently.

Just as a footnote, I've never once missed the ability to do this on the Mac. The only time I'd ever need it is in Excel, which has the feature built into the program anyway.
 
kangaroo said:
I
Also, it would seem that unless you change the from the optimal native resolution you can't change the size of OSXs title bar text, buttons, etc. Is there a workaround for this?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

You can make the text and icons bigger in Finder Preferences, though you cannot change the titlebar, that is a promised feature in Leopard,


For window tiling Mac's have Expose press F9, F10 and F11 to see it in action.
 
It is something I would find useful for writing a precis of a pdf for college, or transferring extracts of one document into another.

I forgot I could do that in Windows and now I want it :(

Students are a big market, Apple.
 
j26 said:
It is something I would find useful for writing a precis of a pdf for college, or transferring extracts of one document into another.

I forgot I could do that in Windows and now I want it :(

Students are a big market, Apple.
Click to expand...

You can, just make the windows narrower ;)

Picture 8.jpg
 
Allotriophagy said:
Seems to me like you need to get used to the way things work in OS X or just stick to Windows.

NEXT!
Click to expand...

Huh? One very minor irritation that could be easily and elegantly dealt with by Apple and I should go back to Windows after nearly 2 years?

Get off your high horse.
 
j26 said:
Huh? One very minor irritation that could be easily and elegantly dealt with by Apple and I should go back to Windows after nearly 2 years?

Get off your high horse.
Click to expand...

Either that or write to Apple and demand they add this function and apologise to you for the trauma caused.
 
Allotriophagy said:
Either that or write to Apple and demand they add this function and apologise to you for the trauma caused.
Click to expand...

It's that sort of attitude (that Apple is perfect in everything) that gives mac users/huggers a bad name.

Here is one (very small) area that Windows trumps OSX. The facility should be there as it is beneficial for some people. What's your problem with that?
OSX beats Windows in most areas - what's so wrong in pointing out something that could be done better? I'm sure they could come up with a very elegant solution - even iPhoto allows comparison of image side by side - why not for the rest of the system?
 
Allow me to actually inform you what my attitude is - Apple and Microsoft make two different products with different feature sets, neither of whom are targetting me and my needs specifically. I just have to deal with it.

I no more expect OS X to have every feature of Windows than I expect Windows to have every piddling feature of OS X.

If resizing windows or using Expose was an issue for me and I needed tiled windows, I would use an OS that supplied that feature. Simple as that.

And you are not pointing out that something could be done better - you are pointing out that there is more than one way to skin a cat. Quite different.
 
j26 said:
It's that sort of attitude (that Apple is perfect in everything) that gives mac users/huggers a bad name.

Here is one (very small) area that Windows trumps OSX. The facility should be there as it is beneficial for some people. What's your problem with that?
OSX beats Windows in most areas - what's so wrong in pointing out something that could be done better? I'm sure they could come up with a very elegant solution - even iPhoto allows comparison of image side by side - why not for the rest of the system?
Click to expand...

In my defense the OP did not state they wished to work in the open windows. I just thought they wanted to see them side by side. In that case I agree Windows wins this battle. :eek:
 
j26 said:
Here is one (very small) area that Windows trumps OSX. The facility should be there as it is beneficial for some people. What's your problem with that?
Click to expand...

I don't know if I'd use the term "trumps", it's a minimal feature (if that). It's not like we're talking about some system critical function or error; we're talking about a shortcut to sort windows on the screen without doing the work yourself. How often do you really use this? I've never used it myself and I've owned and used Windows computers for 10 years. Never used it once. I'm sure I'm not alone in that regard and that's probably why Apple's never implemented it into OSX.

In the year and a half I've used a G5 at work, I use Expose probably half a dozen times (or more) every day. Expose is highly useful to me.

I'm not saying 'no one will ever use a "tile windows" feature, but it's certainly not a deal breaker for me.
 
j26 said:
It's that sort of attitude (that Apple is perfect in everything) that gives mac users/huggers a bad name.

Here is one (very small) area that Windows trumps OSX. The facility should be there as it is beneficial for some people. What's your problem with that?
OSX beats Windows in most areas - what's so wrong in pointing out something that could be done better? I'm sure they could come up with a very elegant solution - even iPhoto allows comparison of image side by side - why not for the rest of the system?
Click to expand...

people are acting in this manner for the sole reason that as it has been stated, the two OSes act in different ways. simple as that. OS X handles windows in a certain manner and Windows has its own set of guidlines as well. done. clear cut. Apple isn't perfect, but this is the way they designed their system, they can't cater to everyone, and they don't mean to either. you can do things in OS X that can't be done in Windows, and visa versa. its the way the world is. accept it. if you don't like it complaining on a Mac Forum isn't going to get anything done. submit it as an area in which Apple can improve on thier website. just because the functionality is good for you and you like it doesn't mean its for everyone, and thats why this is turning into an arguement.
 
I use expose about once every few minutes. Saves LOADS of time, frustration and useless clicking about.

Go to work, use my silly Dell with XP and my workflow is cut in half. Doing things without the ability to quickly see the desktop (without clicking the stupid little thing in the start bar) and all my windows with the flick of the wrist, is just plain ridiculous now that Ive seen what CAN be done in terms of window management.

Screw anyone who thinks you cant tweak OSX, go download Shapeshifter it will do all that you want I believe. And also screw those who think that the program "Windows" can actually use windows efficiently.
 
adrianblaine said:
As far as the appearance of the GUI, it's not very customizable right out of the box. There are programs written to change the things you are talking about (I think). I'm not big on doing that kind of thing so I don't have any programs or links. I'm guessing Apple doesn't like giving people choices because they like their stuff to look good. I've seen people change colors, fonts and font sizes in windows that looked like a nightmare. You could argue that if they like it, who cares, but Apple has an image to protect in some ways. I'm an architecture student, and if I designed a building to look a certain way, I would be horrified to see someone deface something I took a lot of time in making look good. To me it feels the same way with apple. They make it difficult to change how things look for a reason.
Click to expand...
Look thats absolutely ridiculous. Thats like saying that if you buy a car you shouldn't modify it. Its your property you can do whatever you want with it except of course copy it. Yet, I think appearance is a preferential thing. My friend like his purple hair I think it looks like dog sh*t. If it was up to Apple would everyone merely have the classic Blond hair/ Blue eyes. May look great, but I prefer Brown hair/brown eyes. Some might prefer curly. Or red heads. Its not fair that Apple gets to pick what looks the best.
 
kangaroo said:
In Windows you can have the system automatically tile your windows either horizontally or vertically. If for example you wanted to have two browser windows tiled side by side, Windows will maximize each window within your screen. The only way I can see doing this in OSX is to manually size each window. Is there something I'm missing or a workaround?
Click to expand...
Some individual apps offer this, but there isn't a system-wide way of doing so. As has been pointed out there are scripts that might do that, no idea how well they work. Evidently it's not a very useful feature to many users, certainly not to me (I'd just do it manually).

kangaroo said:
Also, it would seem that unless you change the from the optimal native resolution you can't change the size of OSXs title bar text, buttons, etc. Is there a workaround for this?
Click to expand...
Not right now. Leopard is supposed to have a resolution-independant GUI so this should be possible then. Admittedly, this is one thing that MS got right quite a while ago.
 
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