On my 13" Macbook I browse maximized. On my PC with 24" monitor I hardly maximize anything. When I worked on a 24" iMac my behavior was exactly the same, and I went from Windows to Apple - not the opposite.
bendur - 15 years ago
On my netbook, my browser windows are always maximized.
On my machines with bigger monitors, I rarely maximize my windows.
Oh man, I have a huge monitor screen with 1920x1200, there's no reason to use it entirely for a website. I hate when some website resize my window automaticaly.
I almost always keep my browser window maximized and I'm on a Macbook Pro. I do it since I usually have several browser tabs open at once and that way, it's easy to navigate them. Other than that, it's easier to read when I don't see Adium and any other open programs open in the background. When I'm at work and I've got the large desktop screen, then I don't maximize.
Jack Regnart - 15 years ago
Use a Mac so there is never any need.
Henrique Beier - 15 years ago
On Windows I always maximize. On a Mac, I never do.
I only maximize when developing websites and I have to check whether or not everything repeats/scales correctly when maximized. While browsing: never! :)
I normally have my browser maximized, as most of the websites I view are restricted in width anyways. I find it easier to concentrate on reading an article when the browser is maximized.
If a website's width is 100%, and stretches all the way across the my widescreen monitor, then I have to resize the browser so that it is easier to read. I hate liquid layouts that stretch paragraphs to be too wide.
Depends on the stuff I read / check. Most of the blogs, magazines and portals whose rss feed I've subscribed to I read in a reader, so their design isn't really relevant. When browsing artwork (images: photos, illustrations, manipulations) that I like I usually maximize my screen, but even then it's the work I pay most attention to, not the "frame" presenting them. (Which doesn't mean, mind yout, that I don't like great looking sites and "frames". I like and love them: check them out once... but if there's no content to return to or to subscribe to via rss, then so long, I'll probably never return.)
@ungeheier - 15 years ago
On desktops never. If on a laptop with a non-wide aspect screen then yes. But usually if I'm on a desktop I'm working.
Lauren - 15 years ago
27" 1920 x 1200 res and i always full screen everything. too distracted by background windows if i don't...
Sometimes I do - when I want to see a lot at once, (e.g., Amazon.com, etc.). But just as often, I shrink down windows - (like this one) - too much stretching/whitespace otherwise. Hurts the eyes, hard to follow.
yup, I always have any window maximized. I hate windows mode....the borders stand out too much and I hate scroll bars. I have a 22" monitor and 19" monitor on my work machine and still max all windows :)
I've said "no, very rarely" only because in the office I use a very wide screen. This poll is not very useful if you don't specify which resolution you're working with, I suppose.
Interesting how many framed it as a Windows vs Mac question. I think of it more as widescreen vs not. I do keep my browser windows quite large, but not full- screen, and especially not on my large monitors. I see no reason not to use as much of the screen real estate as possible.
Why does everything have to boil down to Mac v PC. Only a silly person would say "windows" user do and "mac" users don't.
When I use on my pc which has a 24" screen it makes sense not to maximise, otherwise on my 15" macbook it would be silly to not use all of the screen space.
On browsing I'm always maximizing, but not when I'm designing website I spit ahalf for opera and other for firefox and one other sreen for coding or photoshop.
Even though I use a 24" screen nowadays I still maximize all screens (hate the unorderly look of non-maximized screens).
That's also the reason why I totally dislike (very close to hate) 100% width websites.
The only time I don't maximise my window is when I am developing & making rapid changes to a website on only one monitor. I find that not having the browser maximised when I'm browsing normally results in me getting distracted by whatever else is open. I also like being able to slide my mouse over to the right-hand edge of the screen to scroll quickly (and more fluidly than with page up/down etc).
I am a Mac user, by the way.
Michelle - 15 years ago
I stopped maximizing windows when I got a wide format monitor, when I was still on Windows instead of Ubuntu. I mostly read blogs, wiki's, and other text-heavy sites, so even though I turn the font sizes up a notch or two, this is usually adequate. I keep FF at maybe 60% of the screen width and IM and other smaller items to the right of FF, but I tweak this if I am working in and out of a Word file, pdf, etc.
Interesting point on Mac versus PC users. On ubuntu and Windows I always maximize, but never on Mac. For me, I've always been really annoyed by the fact that if you accidently press the close button, you have to wait to launch the program. Mac OS manages windows so those are two seperate commands, and an accidently closed window doesn't matter.
Adrian - 15 years ago
I maximize all of my windows, except windows explorer and cs4 apps. I don't maximize cs4 programs because i think they look better unmaximized but full screen.
I never do in OS X, but always do in Windows. Usually when I'm in Windows it's a smaller resolution, but I think it has also become a habit to maximize in Windows.
I always maximize the window (never go with the full screen option, though, unless I'm watching a video). It really irritates me when I'm working with multiple tabs and some random website decides to resize my browser window to something smaller.
csleh - 15 years ago
Nope, it gets in the way. I'm usually working from one window into another, or like to see my desktop. I HATE sites that automatically force full screen. I scrinch down to about 600px wide in retaliation (or leave). Plus the extra screen real estate tends to be ads. Blech.
I'm a heavy multi-tasker and if I don't maximize my windows the other windows underneath will be really distracting. I find maximized windows allows me to really focus on a task and go into the flow.
Like everyone said above, it depends on the monitor size. On my huge Mac at home, I don't maximize, or my laptop, of course I do.
ev4n - 15 years ago
I have dual 24" screens so i dont max my window or it makes the website display odd + hard to read all at once. I keep the window at about 80% of one of my screens.
Yoyo - 15 years ago
The only time I might maximize a site is when I'm using a 1024 or smaller width monitor. Otherwise, no need to...
Terry Willard - 15 years ago
I usually have the browser window maxed by default. I have wide 22" (1680x1050px) screens so most site fit well inside, I just like it full screen.
I do reduce the width when testing my layout width. Just to find the point in which the horizontal scroll bar pops up.
It's interesting what Joseph Cotten says about using fullscreen as a "leftover from old Windows usage." Or perhaps a leftover from the days when screen resolutions were low and the only way to look comfortably on a site was to hit the F11 key (what's it on a mac again?). If you're over 1280x800 px, there's rarely any need to go fullscreen when browsing.
Simon Altar - 15 years ago
I never do it on OS X but always on Windows..
Erica - 15 years ago
Depends on the monitor resolution. If it's too large, like iMac computers in general, I don't maximize. Specially when the site has a fluid layout, because it's hard to read.
If the site's layout is too big, I determine whether the site is important enough for me to maximize, e.g. if the layout looks interesting or if it would be easier to read.
Otherwise, most of the time my browser's window is small.
I'm sure this is mean of me, but it actually irritates me when people do that. HA! Evidently, I'm in the minority by thinking that, according to the poll results. The plain truth is that there's no reason to do it, and it hinders productivity because it leaves all your other possible application windows out of view. Plus, you're seeing areas of the site that weren't thought about.
I think it's a leftover from old Windows usage.
phreetoz - 15 years ago
agreed with Peanutgnome, i usually use more full screen on a 4x3 19" or less, if it's 20+ widescreen, i usually have a window, and on rare occasians i'll fullscreen.
I typically maximize but if I'm reading an article and the line lengths are too long (happens more than you might think) I narrow the view to make it more readable.
sonictruth - 15 years ago
Windoze users do, Mac users don't. Unless your a late comer to mac, and then you do too.
Most websites are optimised to about 960px anyway so unless you have a small monitor it's silly to maximise a web page
Depends. I have a 32inch Widescreen and PIP. Sometimes i put the tv on in the bottom right which sits over everything. I resize my window then.
I duel screen so MSN etc is on another screen but sometimes things are on the right of my main screen.
Basically all depends if I am just browsing (which tends to be full screen) or working or doing more then one thing at the same time.
On my 13" Macbook I browse maximized. On my PC with 24" monitor I hardly maximize anything. When I worked on a 24" iMac my behavior was exactly the same, and I went from Windows to Apple - not the opposite.
On my netbook, my browser windows are always maximized.
On my machines with bigger monitors, I rarely maximize my windows.
Oh man, I have a huge monitor screen with 1920x1200, there's no reason to use it entirely for a website. I hate when some website resize my window automaticaly.
I almost always keep my browser window maximized and I'm on a Macbook Pro. I do it since I usually have several browser tabs open at once and that way, it's easy to navigate them. Other than that, it's easier to read when I don't see Adium and any other open programs open in the background. When I'm at work and I've got the large desktop screen, then I don't maximize.
Use a Mac so there is never any need.
On Windows I always maximize. On a Mac, I never do.
I only maximize when developing websites and I have to check whether or not everything repeats/scales correctly when maximized. While browsing: never! :)
My window is always maximized!
In Windows XP all the time, in Mac OS X don't :)
I normally have my browser maximized, as most of the websites I view are restricted in width anyways. I find it easier to concentrate on reading an article when the browser is maximized.
If a website's width is 100%, and stretches all the way across the my widescreen monitor, then I have to resize the browser so that it is easier to read. I hate liquid layouts that stretch paragraphs to be too wide.
It scares me that people are scared by the responses to this question.
And, no, I don't maximize my browser window.
And, yes, I use a Mac.
Depends on the stuff I read / check. Most of the blogs, magazines and portals whose rss feed I've subscribed to I read in a reader, so their design isn't really relevant. When browsing artwork (images: photos, illustrations, manipulations) that I like I usually maximize my screen, but even then it's the work I pay most attention to, not the "frame" presenting them. (Which doesn't mean, mind yout, that I don't like great looking sites and "frames". I like and love them: check them out once... but if there's no content to return to or to subscribe to via rss, then so long, I'll probably never return.)
On desktops never. If on a laptop with a non-wide aspect screen then yes. But usually if I'm on a desktop I'm working.
27" 1920 x 1200 res and i always full screen everything. too distracted by background windows if i don't...
Sometimes I do - when I want to see a lot at once, (e.g., Amazon.com, etc.). But just as often, I shrink down windows - (like this one) - too much stretching/whitespace otherwise. Hurts the eyes, hard to follow.
yup, I always have any window maximized. I hate windows mode....the borders stand out too much and I hate scroll bars. I have a 22" monitor and 19" monitor on my work machine and still max all windows :)
I don't use a widescreen monitor, so websites normally fit nicely on the screen. I also find it easier to focus if it's maximised.
Always maximized when browsing, but resized to 1024x768 using firefox addon when developing :)
I always do this. I'm on a 1440*900 widescreen 22" monitor. :)
If I don't do that I can't fully concentrate on the site I'm seeing, the superposition of the windows make a lot of noise to me.
Always maximized.
I've said "no, very rarely" only because in the office I use a very wide screen. This poll is not very useful if you don't specify which resolution you're working with, I suppose.
It depends: I only maximise the browser window at 1024x768 and below (so, pretty much only my old laptop and tiny netbook).
Just the same as Linus Bohman !!!!
I usually fix my browser to a width of 1024px - that leaves some nice space for IM, Twitter or the display of other desktop widgets.
Not on my Mac, but I do on my PC.
On my desktop I typically don't maximize the window. However, on occaision I will use the Full Screen (F11) option rather than maximize.
On my netbook (Dell mini 9), I *always* use the full screen option.
My browser starts maximized and it stays that way all day long!
I can't think of any good reason why it would/should not!
Interesting how many framed it as a Windows vs Mac question. I think of it more as widescreen vs not. I do keep my browser windows quite large, but not full- screen, and especially not on my large monitors. I see no reason not to use as much of the screen real estate as possible.
It scares me that over 50% of people say yes! Stop wasting screen space ;)
Why does everything have to boil down to Mac v PC. Only a silly person would say "windows" user do and "mac" users don't.
When I use on my pc which has a 24" screen it makes sense not to maximise, otherwise on my 15" macbook it would be silly to not use all of the screen space.
It scares me that 32% say no - that is terrifying.
On browsing I'm always maximizing, but not when I'm designing website I spit ahalf for opera and other for firefox and one other sreen for coding or photoshop.
on my 12" powerbook yes, on any screen resolution higher than 1280x1024 or any wide-screen resolution - NO..
cheers!
That very much depends on your screen resolution. I don't maximize anymore at 1920x1200 but I usually did at 1280x800.
It depends.
On Mac, no.
On XP, yes.
Working with Windows & iMac, both 24" screens. I never maxize...
Even though I use a 24" screen nowadays I still maximize all screens (hate the unorderly look of non-maximized screens).
That's also the reason why I totally dislike (very close to hate) 100% width websites.
On a Windows machine: Yes.
On a Mac (Firefox): Not fully maximized. About 1200 pixels wide and full height.
I always use firesizer plugin to keep my window at 1024x786 at minimum. I like to view the page as it was most likely designed to be viewed.
allwys it depends, coz when ever i feel the content is realy intresting only i maximize the win!
Only on my netbook. Never on my desktop...I like having easy access to windows when I'm on multiple screens without having to go for the taskbar.
The only time I don't maximise my window is when I am developing & making rapid changes to a website on only one monitor. I find that not having the browser maximised when I'm browsing normally results in me getting distracted by whatever else is open. I also like being able to slide my mouse over to the right-hand edge of the screen to scroll quickly (and more fluidly than with page up/down etc).
I am a Mac user, by the way.
I stopped maximizing windows when I got a wide format monitor, when I was still on Windows instead of Ubuntu. I mostly read blogs, wiki's, and other text-heavy sites, so even though I turn the font sizes up a notch or two, this is usually adequate. I keep FF at maybe 60% of the screen width and IM and other smaller items to the right of FF, but I tweak this if I am working in and out of a Word file, pdf, etc.
Interesting point on Mac versus PC users. On ubuntu and Windows I always maximize, but never on Mac. For me, I've always been really annoyed by the fact that if you accidently press the close button, you have to wait to launch the program. Mac OS manages windows so those are two seperate commands, and an accidently closed window doesn't matter.
I maximize all of my windows, except windows explorer and cs4 apps. I don't maximize cs4 programs because i think they look better unmaximized but full screen.
I never do in OS X, but always do in Windows. Usually when I'm in Windows it's a smaller resolution, but I think it has also become a habit to maximize in Windows.
I only have monitor with 1280x1024, so of course i will maximize the window.
I always maximize the window (never go with the full screen option, though, unless I'm watching a video). It really irritates me when I'm working with multiple tabs and some random website decides to resize my browser window to something smaller.
Nope, it gets in the way. I'm usually working from one window into another, or like to see my desktop. I HATE sites that automatically force full screen. I scrinch down to about 600px wide in retaliation (or leave). Plus the extra screen real estate tends to be ads. Blech.
I'm a heavy multi-tasker and if I don't maximize my windows the other windows underneath will be really distracting. I find maximized windows allows me to really focus on a task and go into the flow.
Like everyone said above, it depends on the monitor size. On my huge Mac at home, I don't maximize, or my laptop, of course I do.
I have dual 24" screens so i dont max my window or it makes the website display odd + hard to read all at once. I keep the window at about 80% of one of my screens.
The only time I might maximize a site is when I'm using a 1024 or smaller width monitor. Otherwise, no need to...
I usually have the browser window maxed by default. I have wide 22" (1680x1050px) screens so most site fit well inside, I just like it full screen.
I do reduce the width when testing my layout width. Just to find the point in which the horizontal scroll bar pops up.
It's interesting what Joseph Cotten says about using fullscreen as a "leftover from old Windows usage." Or perhaps a leftover from the days when screen resolutions were low and the only way to look comfortably on a site was to hit the F11 key (what's it on a mac again?). If you're over 1280x800 px, there's rarely any need to go fullscreen when browsing.
I never do it on OS X but always on Windows..
Depends on the monitor resolution. If it's too large, like iMac computers in general, I don't maximize. Specially when the site has a fluid layout, because it's hard to read.
I used to when I was using netscape on a 15 inch CRT.
If the site's layout is too big, I determine whether the site is important enough for me to maximize, e.g. if the layout looks interesting or if it would be easier to read.
Otherwise, most of the time my browser's window is small.
I'm sure this is mean of me, but it actually irritates me when people do that. HA! Evidently, I'm in the minority by thinking that, according to the poll results. The plain truth is that there's no reason to do it, and it hinders productivity because it leaves all your other possible application windows out of view. Plus, you're seeing areas of the site that weren't thought about.
I think it's a leftover from old Windows usage.
agreed with Peanutgnome, i usually use more full screen on a 4x3 19" or less, if it's 20+ widescreen, i usually have a window, and on rare occasians i'll fullscreen.
It depends if you are a PC or mac user. Almost all windows users maximize their browsers. Mac users almost never do that
I usually maximize the browser when browsing a webpage, sometimes use f11 key to get as much of the screen as I can.
I typically maximize but if I'm reading an article and the line lengths are too long (happens more than you might think) I narrow the view to make it more readable.
Windoze users do, Mac users don't. Unless your a late comer to mac, and then you do too.
Most websites are optimised to about 960px anyway so unless you have a small monitor it's silly to maximise a web page
Depends. I have a 32inch Widescreen and PIP. Sometimes i put the tv on in the bottom right which sits over everything. I resize my window then.
I duel screen so MSN etc is on another screen but sometimes things are on the right of my main screen.
Basically all depends if I am just browsing (which tends to be full screen) or working or doing more then one thing at the same time.
I find wider is worse when it stretches the text too wide, it gets hard to follow when reading.
When it's artistic or a photo, wider is often better.
I used to, and I sometimes still do when using dual 4X3 monitors, but when using a larger or widescreen monitor, I don't.