Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Tymmz said:
View attachment 56392

The three buttons I (almost) never use.

x - command + Q or W
- - double click on the window
+ - ??? (i never use the zoom-function)

in the most recent iTunes, Zoom is now ctrl+cmd+z

i like it so much i've made it my universal kb shortcut for window zoom
 
old thread but still useful

i've used a mac for the last 5 years and while i do find it annoying i've gotten over it. the reason im resurfacing this thread is because well its been three years since the last post so I'm wondering if since there has been any built in way to get around this. i finally convinced my wife to get a imac and I'm sure this is going to annoy her. if there isn't a way to get around this atleast i have good explanations as to why it is the way it is
 
Nope. The idea that windows and applications are not the same thing is really fundamental. It's why command-tab and command-~ do different things, for example.
 
I much prefer using the keyboard shortcut command Q to quit applications and command W to close windows. I find it much quicker doing it this way. I actually find it annoying going back to Windows and having to use the X button.

It definitely is a preference issue but aside from quitting speed the other benefit I get with command Q (closing an app with a command) is if I have several windows open in an application I can close them all with that simple function. In Windows I have to close every single window one at a time in order to close the program.
 
i've used a mac for the last 5 years and while i do find it annoying i've gotten over it. the reason im resurfacing this thread is because well its been three years since the last post so I'm wondering if since there has been any built in way to get around this. i finally convinced my wife to get a imac and I'm sure this is going to annoy her. if there isn't a way to get around this atleast i have good explanations as to why it is the way it is

On a Mac, you don't click start to shut down your computer either.

In OS X, you use Command+Q. Faster.
 
I have seen many Mac converts over the years. They still don't know how to close an app in OS X. They just assume once you click the X the app is closed. From what I see they usually have 10+ apps running at once and they think they have no running apps. It's very confusing and let's be honest a keyboard shortcut combo to close an app is confusing or to got to the menu and select close app is a waste of time.

Bad Apple :apple:
 
I have seen many Mac converts over the years. They still don't know how to close an app in OS X. They just assume once you click the X the app is closed. From what I see they usually have 10+ apps running at once and they think they have no running apps. It's very confusing and let's be honest a keyboard shortcut combo to close an app is confusing or to got to the menu and select close app is a waste of time.

Bad Apple :apple:
I do agree that it is confusing for recent switchers who are not taught what clicking on the X button actually does in Mac. Some people can't figure out for themselves that it doesn't close the application. Apple really should not have made the symbol look similar to Windows and then have it do something else. They should have use a different symbol like the letter W for example. This way people would at least be curious why it's different and then hopefully try to find out the difference. Making something look the same, a person would naturally assume it does the same thing.

Maybe Apple should include a tutorial on startup or a link to their website tutorial that explains the differences when they first buy a Mac. For previous Mac owners they could just skip the tutorial. I know it's not the perfect solution but it's better than nothing because I doubt Apple will change the symbols nor change how the X button behaves universally.

In Windows you can do Alt+F4 as well.
The difference is that in Windows (XP) it's not really common knowledge because most programs don't advertise the shortcut in their menus. In Macs every application shows command Q as a shortcut to quit the application when you go to menu. I think that shows that Apple is trying to promote it's usage while on Windows it's more like a hidden secret.
 
I have seen many Mac converts over the years. They still don't know how to close an app in OS X. They just assume once you click the X the app is closed. From what I see they usually have 10+ apps running at once and they think they have no running apps. It's very confusing and let's be honest a keyboard shortcut combo to close an app is confusing or to got to the menu and select close app is a waste of time.

Bad Apple :apple:

Meanwhile, Mac users that switch to Windows are constantly finding they've accidentally quit programs...

Bad Microsoft!

Oh wait. Different isn't the same as bad. Both have a solid rationale behind them, with pluses and minuses.

EndlessMac said:
Apple really should not have made the symbol look similar to Windows and then have it do something else. They should have use a different symbol like the letter W for example.

You realize the Mac way of doing it is older than the Windows way, yes? When Apple came up with this, Windows didn't exist yet.
 
I much prefer using the keyboard shortcut command Q to quit applications and command W to close windows. I find it much quicker doing it this way. I actually find it annoying going back to Windows and having to use the X button.

It definitely is a preference issue but aside from quitting speed the other benefit I get with command Q (closing an app with a command) is if I have several windows open in an application I can close them all with that simple function. In Windows I have to close every single window one at a time in order to close the program.

Agreed. Command-Q and Command-W are your best friends on a Mac. Other personal favs:

Command-S to save/save as a document

Command-W to close tabs/windows in a browser

Command-T for a new tab in a browser or in Terminal (Leopard or later only for Terminal)

Command-N for a new window

Command-Z to undo

Shift-Command-Z to redo

There are many others, but those are shortcuts that dramatically improve my workflow. :)
 
You realize the Mac way of doing it is older than the Windows way, yes? When Apple came up with this, Windows didn't exist yet.
I'm not talking about the function itself but rather the look of the button. I don't remember the previous Mac OS prior to OS 10 using the letter X inside it.

Mac OS 9 had a square grey box that had no lettering inside of it and it had a 3D dimple effect. It was still in the corner but at least it looked different. What I'm saying is that if it looks different than the Windows X button then it would help people realize that the functions are indeed different. If you make it look the same as Windows then you will create confusion.

Also Windows is the majority so you can say who came first all your want but the majority of the population thinks that the X button quits applications. It's okay for Macs to have it do something different but I'm just saying that the button should look different to help reduce the amount of confusion.
 
Agreed. Command-Q and Command-W are your best friends on a Mac. Other personal favs:

Command-S to save/save as a document

Command-W to close tabs/windows in a browser

Command-T for a new tab in a browser or in Terminal (Leopard or later only for Terminal)

Command-N for a new window

Command-Z to undo

Shift-Command-Z to redo

There are many others, but those are shortcuts that dramatically improve my workflow. :)
I use those too and I also use these a lot:

Option Command Eject = Sleep Mode

Control Option Command Eject = Shut Down without any menu prompts
 
I much prefer using the keyboard shortcut command Q to quit applications and command W to close windows. I find it much quicker doing it this way. I actually find it annoying going back to Windows and having to use the X button.

It definitely is a preference issue but aside from quitting speed the other benefit I get with command Q (closing an app with a command) is if I have several windows open in an application I can close them all with that simple function. In Windows I have to close every single window one at a time in order to close the program.

Try Alt+F4 to close the app and Control+F4 to close windows...
 
Bad Apple :apple:

The button has done the same thing since 1984. They're not going to change it just for you. If I've used a Mac since 1984 why should I have to switch to your way of doing things.

PC switchers must conform to the Mac way, not the other way around. Endless explanations for why it is the way it is and why it's better have been given here and elsewhere on the internet. If you really find it that confusing then buy a PC.

Ditto with maximize.
 
The difference is that in Windows (XP) it's not really common knowledge because most programs don't advertise the shortcut in their menus. In Macs every application shows command Q as a shortcut to quit the application when you go to menu. I think that shows that Apple is trying to promote it's usage while on Windows it's more like a hidden secret.

Well now that's just silly. Most keyboard shortcuts are in fact advertised in the menus in Windows.
 
Well now that's just silly. Most keyboard shortcuts are in fact advertised in the menus in Windows.

Ah, but isn't there an option in Windows somewhere that means the keyboard shortcuts only appear when the Alt key is pressed (when the menu is open)?
 
Well now that's just silly. Most keyboard shortcuts are in fact advertised in the menus in Windows.
The discussion is about the Alt F4 shortcut and unless I'm missing something I don't see it labeled after the menu exit function in Windows programs. Maybe some of them do but preinstalled Microsoft programs don't like IE, Outlook Express, notepad, etc just to name a few don't. These are Microsoft products and since they don't display Alt F4 so it seems to suggest that Microsoft isn't promoting the shortcut. To be clear I'm not talking about other shortcuts and I'm talking about XP.

This all goes back to my original discussion which I don't need to repeat here since it's all above.
 
A bit belated for this thread perhaps, but still a valid question.

Okay, even if we accept the notion that Apple's idea is better (which I don't feel it is - apps for MS Windows can handle multiple windows just fine, yet still quit, as they should, without extra steps or commands when the last windows are closed), is there a way to accommodate ex-Windows users by changing the behavior of that red "x" button?

That, not which method is better, is the real question here. Notice we're not asking for a change in the methods used, just an option to select.
 
A bit belated for this thread perhaps, but still a valid question.

Okay, even if we accept the notion that Apple's idea is better (which I don't feel it is - apps for MS Windows can handle multiple windows just fine, yet still quit, as they should, without extra steps or commands when the last windows are closed), is there a way to accommodate ex-Windows users by changing the behavior of that red "x" button?

That, not which method is better, is the real question here. Notice we're not asking for a change in the methods used, just an option to select.

No.
Just hit Command-Q, much faster than moving the mouse to close the window or choose Quit from the Menu!
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.