The finder isn't quitable for historical reasons. Prior to OS X, the finder and the OS were pretty much thought of as one thing or inseperable. Even though the finder is now just another application, it still doesn't seem right to be able to quit it. Perhaps this will change over time as people no longer perceive the finder as actually being the OS itself.
also, i should add that there are ways to quit the Finder if you really really want. beats me why you'd want to do so though...
since you're new to the Mac... go to versiontracker and download tinkertool. this prefpane unlocks hidden preferences in OS X. there's an option in there to add a "quit" command to the finder.
Quitting the Finder on Mac OS X would be analogous the killing Explorer on Windows. Close it and you have no desktop and can't get to your files and programs except for those on your Dock.
pesi is right about TinkerTool. TinkerTool is a freeware add-on that enables a number of hidden options in Mac OS X. It doesn't hack anything or run anything dangerous in the background; it simply toggles features that don't have visible switches in the preferences. It's kind of like what TweakUI does for Windows but in a much more limited sense.
Welcome to Macintosh and AppleInsider. I hope you enjoy your stay. Feel free to post any other questions!
Okay, another dumb question: I think I understand the little red circle means "minimize", the green cicle means "fit visible", and what is the orange circle for? It just minimizes it to a different area of the bar on the bottom. Why?
It likely exists for users who don't know that double clicking the title bar will minimize a window to the dock.
This is something that isn't inherently obvious. It is also hard to find if you're afraid to randomly click on things. After observing the computing skill of the average office worker... it is probably a good thing that they don't randomly click any more than they already do... Just give them a visible widget and they'll remember.
It just minimizes it to a different area of the bar on the bottom. Why?
If you're asking why would you minimize a window to the Dock.. well, most users like to have multiple windows open so they can work on multiple things at once. Minimization is for putting windows that you aren't using currently away (without having to close them entirely) so they don't get in the way of what you're currently doing. Windows does the same thing with its Taskbar.
One additional thing you can do on your Mac is to hide an application entirely by choosing 'Hide' from the application menu, or by pressing Cmd+H on your keyboard; this will make all the windows (minimized or not) of an application invisible until the next time you switch to that application.
Yeah, but why the dock and not just the red circle? What is the difference? Do you lose the contents of the window with the red circle but not with the orange?
Yeah, but why the dock and not just the red circle? What is the difference? Do you lose the contents of the window with the red circle but not with the orange?
Yep. For example, open a browser window in Safari. When you click the red widget, the window closes. If you click the yellow widget, the window still exists, and it's minimized in the dock. The red widget doesn't minimize at all.
Yep. For example, open a browser window in Safari. When you click the red widget, the window closes. If you click the yellow widget, the window still exists, and it's minimized in the dock. The red widget doesn't minimize at all.
Note that, if the red widget has a dark dot in the center, you will be prompted as to whether you wish to save changes before closing your window--no good program would simply trash your data for accidentally clicking the red button.
Note that, if the red widget has a dark dot in the center, you will be prompted as to whether you wish to save changes before closing your window--no good program would simply trash your data for accidentally clicking the red button.
Yeah, but why the dock and not just the red circle? What is the difference? Do you lose the contents of the window with the red circle but not with the orange?
Yes, you close the window completely and lose the contents with the red (danger = red) button. Window go bye-bye, contents go bye-bye. See above note about the dot in the red button.
The yellow (or orange ) button retains the content and data state, but moves the window out of the way for you and places it in the Dock. (One really cool thing - many apps will update the contents of the window *while* it's in the Dock - play a QuickTime movie then minimize it... the movie keeps playing, tiny style. Oddly useful at times. )
The green button is technically called 'zoom'. It switches between two modes... whatever size the user has set the window to be (any time you manually resize the window, it remembers that as 'user setting'), and, in most apps, the second state is a window that is *just* big enough to show you all the content (or as much as possible). Sort of an 'optimal' size. 'Zoom' swaps back and between these two. (Most Windows folks are confused by this... under Windows there is the 'maximize' button which blindly makes the window fullscreen. This isn't maximize.)
Okay, another dumb question: I think I understand the little red circle means "minimize", the green cicle means "fit visible", and what is the orange circle for? It just minimizes it to a different area of the bar on the bottom. Why?
The colored circles are a test of your monitor's color accuracy, and/or your own color vision. You and/or your monitor did not pass with flying colors... err, so to speak.
Well, okay, that yellow/amber is kind of orangey...
Yeah, but why the dock and not just the red circle? What is the difference? Do you lose the contents of the window with the red circle but not with the orange?
In case you were confused.... when you click the red button of a window (meaning, you close a window), you don't actually lose the contents of the window in normal cases; you just lose the window itself. For example when you click the red button on a Word document window (i.e. you close it), you don't lose the document (the file) itself, if it's already saved; but if the document is unsaved, it'll ask you if you want to save the document (the window's content) before you close the window. In contrast, when you minimize a window (click the yellow button), not only do you not lose the content of the window, you don't even lose the window itself.... it's just as if the window it's still on your desktop, except is miniaturized and stashed on your dock... and when you click it again on the dock it comes right back.
As for why you need the yellow button (for minimize) when you have the red button (for close)... well, if the only option you have is closing a window (click the red button.... I'm saying this for the last time : ), the next time you need the document displayed in the window you need to find it, which is often inconvenient. For example... if it's a browser window that you closed, you need to find the URL for that page; if it's a Word window you closed, you need to locate that Word file on your HD.
Of course you can always make the argument that "I would never close a window that I still need. If I still need a window, I just move it to the side on my desktop. And when I close a window, I really mean it". But some people like to work with LOTS of windows open at a time, but most of them aren't currently being used. And instead of just moving the window to the side of the screen or have it lurk in the background (which introduces lots of clutter on screen), people would minimize them, which is the functional equivalence of leaving the windows on screen, except neater.
OK I have a semi related question, why have a minimise to the dock "orange" button as introduced in OS X, and also have the "Hide" option as from the days of OS 9, is it simply to aid the transition from 9 to X? I can't see the point of having both even though having a choice is always nice
This is just something that has always been a niggling feature for me, for the record I always use hide, having to many minimised items in the dock kind of ruins it for me.
OK I have a semi related question, why have a minimise to the dock "orange" button as introduced in OS X, and also have the "Hide" option as from the days of OS 9, is it simply to aid the transition from 9 to X? I can't see the point of having both even though having a choice is always nice
This is just something that has always been a niggling feature for me, for the record I always use hide, having to many minimised items in the dock kind of ruins it for me.
it's called having OPTIONS.
the "hide" behavior for an APPLICATION level behavior. let's say i'm doing some work in photoshop, but don't need to use it right now, so i hide the entire app.
the "minimize to dock" behavior is a DOCUMENT level behavior. let's say i'm working in photoshop and just need that one window temporarily out of the way... that's what minimize is for.
the "hide" behavior for an APPLICATION level behavior. let's say i'm doing some work in photoshop, but don't need to use it right now, so i hide the entire app.
the "minimize to dock" behavior is a DOCUMENT level behavior. let's say i'm working in photoshop and just need that one window temporarily out of the way... that's what minimize is for.
well THANK YOU for pointing that out , if you read the post I wrote that I do like having the choice, I just suppose even after using OS X for a year i'm still getting used to the luxury. I don't see what's wrong with having cascading windows. That's just my opinion though, I can see how it might irritate others, I just think that to get the window back open by having to go back to the dock and moving to the mouse to do that (unless there's a keyboard shortcut??) a lot more hassle than just cycling through windows or just clicking on the window behind which is generally less mousing around than going to the dock.
well THANK YOU for pointing that out , if you read the post I wrote that I do like having the choice, I just suppose even after using OS X for a year i'm still getting used to the luxury. I don't see what's wrong with having cascading windows. That's just my opinion though, I can see how it might irritate others, I just think that to get the window back open by having to go back to the dock and moving to the mouse to do that (unless there's a keyboard shortcut??) a lot more hassle than just cycling through windows or just clicking on the window behind which is generally less mousing around than going to the dock.
It's just a niggle is all, nothing hugely major
Another scenario: Say you have an application running with lots of windows and you want to clear up your screen for something else. Instead of minimizing each window to the dock (creating lots of dock clutter and a tired mouse-click finger) you just hide the entire application.
Comments
that key is called the command key. old apple types will sometimes also refer to it as the "open apple" key.
The finder isn't quitable for historical reasons. Prior to OS X, the finder and the OS were pretty much thought of as one thing or inseperable. Even though the finder is now just another application, it still doesn't seem right to be able to quit it. Perhaps this will change over time as people no longer perceive the finder as actually being the OS itself.
since you're new to the Mac... go to versiontracker and download tinkertool. this prefpane unlocks hidden preferences in OS X. there's an option in there to add a "quit" command to the finder.
pesi is right about TinkerTool. TinkerTool is a freeware add-on that enables a number of hidden options in Mac OS X. It doesn't hack anything or run anything dangerous in the background; it simply toggles features that don't have visible switches in the preferences. It's kind of like what TweakUI does for Windows but in a much more limited sense.
Welcome to Macintosh and AppleInsider.
Yellow: minimize window to Dock.
Green: zoom window (usually tries to fit to the content).
This is something that isn't inherently obvious. It is also hard to find if you're afraid to randomly click on things. After observing the computing skill of the average office worker... it is probably a good thing that they don't randomly click any more than they already do... Just give them a visible widget and they'll remember.
Originally posted by alligator
It just minimizes it to a different area of the bar on the bottom. Why?
If you're asking why would you minimize a window to the Dock.. well, most users like to have multiple windows open so they can work on multiple things at once. Minimization is for putting windows that you aren't using currently away (without having to close them entirely) so they don't get in the way of what you're currently doing. Windows does the same thing with its Taskbar.
One additional thing you can do on your Mac is to hide an application entirely by choosing 'Hide' from the application menu, or by pressing Cmd+H on your keyboard; this will make all the windows (minimized or not) of an application invisible until the next time you switch to that application.
Originally posted by alligator
Yeah, but why the dock and not just the red circle? What is the difference? Do you lose the contents of the window with the red circle but not with the orange?
Yep. For example, open a browser window in Safari. When you click the red widget, the window closes. If you click the yellow widget, the window still exists, and it's minimized in the dock. The red widget doesn't minimize at all.
Originally posted by MCQ
Yep. For example, open a browser window in Safari. When you click the red widget, the window closes. If you click the yellow widget, the window still exists, and it's minimized in the dock. The red widget doesn't minimize at all.
Note that, if the red widget has a dark dot in the center, you will be prompted as to whether you wish to save changes before closing your window--no good program would simply trash your data for accidentally clicking the red button.
Originally posted by andrewm
Note that, if the red widget has a dark dot in the center, you will be prompted as to whether you wish to save changes before closing your window--no good program would simply trash your data for accidentally clicking the red button.
Right, forgot to mention that.
Originally posted by alligator
Yeah, but why the dock and not just the red circle? What is the difference? Do you lose the contents of the window with the red circle but not with the orange?
Yes, you close the window completely and lose the contents with the red (danger = red) button. Window go bye-bye, contents go bye-bye. See above note about the dot in the red button.
The yellow (or orange
The green button is technically called 'zoom'. It switches between two modes... whatever size the user has set the window to be (any time you manually resize the window, it remembers that as 'user setting'), and, in most apps, the second state is a window that is *just* big enough to show you all the content (or as much as possible). Sort of an 'optimal' size. 'Zoom' swaps back and between these two. (Most Windows folks are confused by this... under Windows there is the 'maximize' button which blindly makes the window fullscreen. This isn't maximize.)
Originally posted by alligator
Okay, another dumb question: I think I understand the little red circle means "minimize", the green cicle means "fit visible", and what is the orange circle for? It just minimizes it to a different area of the bar on the bottom. Why?
The colored circles are a test of your monitor's color accuracy, and/or your own color vision. You and/or your monitor did not pass with flying colors... err, so to speak.
Well, okay, that yellow/amber is kind of orangey...
Originally posted by alligator
Yeah, but why the dock and not just the red circle? What is the difference? Do you lose the contents of the window with the red circle but not with the orange?
In case you were confused.... when you click the red button of a window (meaning, you close a window), you don't actually lose the contents of the window in normal cases; you just lose the window itself. For example when you click the red button on a Word document window (i.e. you close it), you don't lose the document (the file) itself, if it's already saved; but if the document is unsaved, it'll ask you if you want to save the document (the window's content) before you close the window. In contrast, when you minimize a window (click the yellow button), not only do you not lose the content of the window, you don't even lose the window itself.... it's just as if the window it's still on your desktop, except is miniaturized and stashed on your dock... and when you click it again on the dock it comes right back.
As for why you need the yellow button (for minimize) when you have the red button (for close)... well, if the only option you have is closing a window (click the red button.... I'm saying this for the last time : ), the next time you need the document displayed in the window you need to find it, which is often inconvenient. For example... if it's a browser window that you closed, you need to find the URL for that page; if it's a Word window you closed, you need to locate that Word file on your HD.
Of course you can always make the argument that "I would never close a window that I still need. If I still need a window, I just move it to the side on my desktop. And when I close a window, I really mean it". But some people like to work with LOTS of windows open at a time, but most of them aren't currently being used. And instead of just moving the window to the side of the screen or have it lurk in the background (which introduces lots of clutter on screen), people would minimize them, which is the functional equivalence of leaving the windows on screen, except neater.
This is just something that has always been a niggling feature for me, for the record I always use hide, having to many minimised items in the dock kind of ruins it for me.
Originally posted by dnisbet
OK I have a semi related question, why have a minimise to the dock "orange" button as introduced in OS X, and also have the "Hide" option as from the days of OS 9, is it simply to aid the transition from 9 to X? I can't see the point of having both even though having a choice is always nice
This is just something that has always been a niggling feature for me, for the record I always use hide, having to many minimised items in the dock kind of ruins it for me.
it's called having OPTIONS.
the "hide" behavior for an APPLICATION level behavior. let's say i'm doing some work in photoshop, but don't need to use it right now, so i hide the entire app.
the "minimize to dock" behavior is a DOCUMENT level behavior. let's say i'm working in photoshop and just need that one window temporarily out of the way... that's what minimize is for.
Originally posted by pesi
it's called having OPTIONS.
the "hide" behavior for an APPLICATION level behavior. let's say i'm doing some work in photoshop, but don't need to use it right now, so i hide the entire app.
the "minimize to dock" behavior is a DOCUMENT level behavior. let's say i'm working in photoshop and just need that one window temporarily out of the way... that's what minimize is for.
well THANK YOU for pointing that out
It's just a niggle is all, nothing hugely major
Originally posted by dnisbet
well THANK YOU for pointing that out
It's just a niggle is all, nothing hugely major
Another scenario: Say you have an application running with lots of windows and you want to clear up your screen for something else. Instead of minimizing each window to the dock (creating lots of dock clutter and a tired mouse-click finger) you just hide the entire application.
The dock isnt big enough hold minimised windows and let me see what they are.
On the other hand, I use Hide to keep my workspace uncluttered.
Its not quite as good as real workspaces/virtual desktops, but nearly.
Cant wait for expose.