Minimize vs. closing windows

I tried a mac at a local store today... and I am really confused at the difference between the [x] and [-] button on the windows. As far as I know, when you close the window, you're not really "closing" it.

The program still runs in the background (can quit by holding apple button and Q).

So what's the difference?

 

well, with one, you're closing the window. that program window is gone.

the other, you're iconifying the window. that program window is available by clicking on the dock.

 

Well "minimizing" a window will cause it to "shrink" into the right side of the Dock, hence saving the window in a state exactly as before. "x"-ing it will cause the application to stay "loaded", but what it was viewing before (a webpage, a folder, etc.) is not what it shows, rather what is default (the Applications directory, or your browser Homepage. etc.)

So if you opened www.notebookreview.com on Firefox and minimized it (with "-") it would shrink to the right side of the Dock (with the Trash and folders if you put any folders on the Dock). The next time you open Firefox from the saved page you will see the browser at www.notebookreview.com (in other words, you are viewing the webpage you were at before you minimized).

Instead, if you "x" the window, the application is still on,, but say you re-open Firefox, its back to your Homepage, and not www.notebookreview.com.

 

Sorry, I should've been more clear, but what is the difference between that and holding the apple key and pressing Q?

As far as I know, the latter will cause the app on the dock to not have an arrow on the bottom of it. Both actions still close the window, but one is hogging memory and the other one does not?

 

apple+q quits the application, just clicking the x on the window doesn't close the program (on most programs anyway). it just closes the window.

 

hitting the "X" means you don't have to wait for the program to load, either.

 

Which is a nice feature if you have enough memory/processor to have a lot of apps constantly running.

 

If you ever used the older versions of pocket pc or windows CE, you'll have the same issue because you have to go all the way to preference to actually terminate the programs, click x just close the GUI you see on the surface.

 

actually it would be pretty cool if you could have a flash-based swap memory that runs relatively quickly. you could page a set of common programs right from boot (browser, music player, e-mail, calendar) and then load them from the flash-based disk when needed.

 

RAM Drives :-D

 

basically, minimizing windows in Mac OSX becomes a feature that you will never use once you start using Expose, Mac's window managing program, by default it is set for the F10-> hot keys I believe, to organize all of the windows, display the desktop, etc.

Expose is my favorite thing about OSX, setting it up for the corners of the screen is really really fantastic.

 

yep. expose is a REAL window manager. not like the crapola "flip 3d" crap in vista. i have mine mapped to my fn key and hit it quickly with my pinky. i'm like greased lightning!