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Ask HN: Why does Apple refuse to add window snapping to macOS?

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Re: Ask HN: Why does Apple refuse to add window snapping to macOS?

#221

Post by mhw »

coolspot wrote: post #126

Same reason why Mac mouse doesn’t have right click and why ~double-click~ [edit: pressing “return”] on a folder is renaming, and why window controls are on a left side of a window and do things unlike MS Windows (not closing, not minimizing, not maximizing). Patents.

> window controls are on a left side of a window

Simpler explanation: Mac OS’s first release preceded Windows so they had to pick a side for themselves when first designing the system. See https://www.versionmuseum.com/history-of/classic-mac-os - the square on the left side of the front-most window’s title bar is the close button.

Re: Ask HN: Why does Apple refuse to add window snapping to macOS?

#222

Post by prewett »

csallen wrote: post #3
tlb wrote: post #2

I don't miss it. I carefully dragged each window to align just right one time, and never had to redo it since. It persists across reboots, and remembers placements separately for the two monitor arrangements I use (laptop, laptop + big monitor) so I only had to do the fiddly work once.

And you've just never, ever, needed to rearrange or move your windows since?

I tend to setup separate Spaces and put related apps/windows in the same Space. So I have a general/browsing Space, and development Space, a graphics-editing Space, etc. So I don't usually need to move my windows around. Unfortunately when reboot/login restores them, it puts them all in the first Space, so I have to move them, but since I reboot a handful of times a year, it's not a huge problem.

I've defined Cmd-1, Cmd-2, etc. shortcuts to switch spaces like on Linux desktops, which is a lot faster the 3-finger swiping macOS comes with.

Re: Ask HN: Why does Apple refuse to add window snapping to macOS?

#223

Post by arrowsmith »

AndroTux wrote: post #211
alehlopeh wrote: post #170

Can an Ask HN self-post be clickbait? Apple isn’t refusing to do anything. They just haven’t done some minor thing that you personally would like. The fact that you’re “shocked” by something as banal as “lack of window snapping” is kind of funny actually.

I am a Mac user for many years now. The first thing I always set up is Magnet. A third party app that allows me to have proper window management. So yes, in my opinion it really is shocking if even Windows manages to have a better user experience in something so basic, for more than 10(?) years.

I also use Magnet - it's great and I would hate to be without it. But at this point it's bizarre that I still have to install a third party app to get such a basic UI feature.

Re: Ask HN: Why does Apple refuse to add window snapping to macOS?

#224

Post by mixmastamyk »

I always turn off most snapping. Why? Because I have my preferred layout already, and have good dexterity to move things.

When I drag a title bar to the top center, as I have for decades, it tries to maximize the window. I never want that, and have double-click titlebar (that’s more efficient) if I do.

There’s also a weird state machine between snap to size and normal mode I never completely understood. Believe the thinking is that it should work the same as max/restore but I don’t want three modes to keep track of. If I do snap the size/position that’s what I want, and would never want it to go back to the old place, aka restore.

I think KDE has some useful subset that can be configured. The edge snapping is not bad, and the ones that require a modifier key.

These are implementation concerns however. The basic idea is good but I haven’t seen it done right by default yet.

Re: Ask HN: Why does Apple refuse to add window snapping to macOS?

#225

Post by karaterobot »

wrs wrote: post #197
karaterobot wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Alt tab: press cmd-tab to cycle applications, then cmd-` to cycle windows of that application. This typically has better number-of-keypress to get the window you want compared to Windows alt-tab which requires iterating over all windows in the worst case. Except that you can select a window with cmd-tab and then have absolutely nothing happen as a result. It will show windows that it does not let you muster on scre…

I'm not sure quite what situation you're describing with the secret key thing, but in case it's relevant: Cmd-tab selects applications , not windows . If the application has no windows open, then when you cmd-tab to it, you won't switch to a window (but you will see the menu bar switch). The situation cannot occur in Windows because it insists that an application must have at least one window open to interact with it…

You can see a description of the problem, and its obscure (in the sense of being hidden) solution, in this stackoverflow thread.

https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/112350/cmdtab-does...

All applications are open in this case. MacOS just doesn't display anything in certain quite common cases, such as one of its windows being hidden or minimized. There is a mechanism to display these windows (the obscure, well-kept secret does work) but Apple chose not to apply it.

Re: Ask HN: Why does Apple refuse to add window snapping to macOS?

#226

Post by prewett »

mvdtnz wrote: post #118
throwingrocks wrote: post #100

Seems like you assume everyone likes window snapping because you do. It’s one of the most annoying aspects of using Windows for me.

Huh? What's annoying about something completely optional? If you don't like window snapping, just.... don't?

I hate the Window's half-window snapping, because I don't want tiled windows, but in order to have the window at the edge or top of the screen (which doesn't seem like a huge ask) I have to get it just close enough so it doesn't resize on me, and about half the time I go to far and have to start over. I don't have or want a really wide monitor, so Visual Studio being half the width of my monitor is not a useful size, because it is too narrow.

Re: Ask HN: Why does Apple refuse to add window snapping to macOS?

#229

Post by deafpolygon »

WWLink wrote: post #114
johnwheeler wrote: post #96

I don’t understand. I wouldn’t consider snapping a first class feature like closing, maximizing, and minimizing. It’s possible that the addition of snapping would confuse some uninitiated users. They wouldn’t understand why the windows lock toward the side of the screen when they drag. The only beef I have with apples windowing system is you can’t remove the finder from alt-tab. There are apps like witch but it is cu…

I'm agreeing but it's because I find features like window snapping, auto-reveal desktop, and AERO SHAKE (where all the windows except the one you're shaking get minimized) REALLY FUCKING ANNOYING. Windows 11 maximized the annoying desire to do things for me by bringing up this stupid rectangle at the top of my screen any time I move a window, trying to get me to snap it to a side of the screen... It's like MS hired s…

> Windows 11 maximized the annoying desire to do things for me by bringing up this stupid rectangle at the top of my screen any time I move a window, trying to get me to snap it to a side of the screen...

This can be turned off. Go to Settings (Win+I).. click through System then Multitasking.

Expand the "Snap windows" dropdown (arrow at right side). The option you want to turn off is "Show snap layouts when I drag a window to the top of my screen". I'm about to turn it off as well. I rarely use it, now that I think of it- and it's too touchy.

While you're there, you can turn off the title bar shake (I have that turned off as well).

Re: Ask HN: Why does Apple refuse to add window snapping to macOS?

#230

Post by deafpolygon »

prewett wrote: post #226
mvdtnz wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Huh? What's annoying about something completely optional? If you don't like window snapping, just.... don't?

I hate the Window's half-window snapping, because I don't want tiled windows, but in order to have the window at the edge or top of the screen (which doesn't seem like a huge ask) I have to get it just close enough so it doesn't resize on me, and about half the time I go to far and have to start over. I don't have or want a really wide monitor, so Visual Studio being half the width of my monitor is not a useful size,…

Win+I, System -> Multitasking

Expand "Snap windows" (down arrow on right side)

Turn off "When I drag a window, let me snap it without dragging it all the way to the screen edge" if you're finding it to be too sensitive.

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