It really depends on which computer your using. When I'm on my home office desktop, I have my browsers in different sizes as I usually have two or three open at any one time while developing sites. I have dual 25" displays set on 1920x1024 which works great when you have other tools displayed. In fact, I'm researching ways to get a 3rd 25" monitor right now! :) On my laptop, I usually maximize the browsers as the resolution is set at 1024x768 since it's only a 15.4" display.
Yes, sometimes, especially, when speech concerns вертки. Or when I work on MAC.
Ivan - 15 years ago
I use win7 so I use AeroSnap to fill half of the screen when I'm developing/designing. I have two monitors but I prefer having Photoshop maximized. When I'm not designing my browser remains at full screen. Thanks for asking...
splinter - 15 years ago
maximizing browser windows is a typical sickness of common windows users. it has no real usability background, it's common sense, but that doesn't mean that it's good.
I ALWAYS work on maximized windows. I just need the white space to stand all the information i get ;-)
Eliza - 15 years ago
I always maximize whatever software I'm using, including my web browser. I just like having my entire focus on one application at a time, and I hate when I can see all the other things I have running cluttering up my space when I'm not using them at that exact second.
I work between multiple programs simultaneously and it helps me keep on task.
I'm mainly a Windows user, but when I work on my Mac I find myself getting distracted more easily because it seems to lend itself better to the windowed experience.
I think Windows lending itself more to a maximized experience is one of the reasons I work on my PC more often, now that I think about it.
Sander - 15 years ago
With a 22" widescreen monitor @1920x1080, fullscreen browsing is like looking directly into the sun for some websites ;)
I never maximise my browser - I have a 20" screen (imac) so full size is too big for most websites (though I have noticed that designs are getting wider than they used to be) and it's also not comfortable to browse at that size. I really hate it when a website re-sizes my browser to full screen!
Almost always maximised on the office PCs. I use dual screen so the browser is usally on the 2nd screen whilst the main screen is usually photoshop, dreamweaver or thunderbird. Even if its on the mainscreen (like now most otehr things are shut down for the day) its maximised - and this screen is 1680*1050
On the mac its usually taking up 2/3 of the screen.
Ricky - 15 years ago
Like other mac users, I do not maximize. On a windows machine (desktop / laptop / netbook), I'll always maximize my window. I'll only maximize on a mac when the browser is on my screen screen.
russell - 15 years ago
Depends on if I'm working on something that requires firebug.
It also depends on the current monitor resolutions I'm using. At home on my 23" I don't need to maximize all the time, but at work I'll keep a browser maximized on one screen and code on the other.
It also depends on the site I'm looking at. If it will benefit me to use the full width, why not. If its an older client's site from 2000, theres no need for that much whitespace.
Always maximised (but I'm almost always using Windows).
I'd love to hear from those who do NOT maximise, whether they get any benefit from that. I can understand that those using large resolutions, browsing fixed-width websites, get little benefit from maximising, but is there any benefit from not-maximising? E.g. do you often find yourself doing something in another window or drag/dropping from/to the web browser? I just don't find myself performing these operations enough, and I'd rather benefit from the Fitt's law advantages that having a full-screen window provide.
On my 22 inch monitor at work, no - it's too wide, especially if I'm reading a great deal of text in a liquid layout. Most websites have a content width of under 1000px anyway, so there's no point.
On Mac - never. On Windows - always. Don't know why
srigi - 15 years ago
Since I have Arch Linux with 6 virt. desktops, I maximize browser window.
Curt Grymala - 15 years ago
I have a 30" monitor set at 2560x1600 pixels at work, so I do not maximize my browser windows there (I actually use a proggie called WinSplit to divide my screen into four equal quadrants).
However, on all other monitors, I almost always maximize my browser window.
I work on a MacBook Pro with a secondary monitor hooked up. I always have the web browser maximized on the smaller MacBook display with whatever work I'm doing on the larger secondary display. Sometimes I'll open up a new browser window and maximize it in the secondary display if I need to work on a web app that would benefit from more screen real estate (like Hotgloo for instance). I noticed from other comments a lot of Mac users don't maximize their browser window. Even when I was working with a regular MacBook, I would almost always have the browser window maximized since using expose to navigate to other windows or programs was just so easy.
Patricio - 15 years ago
well, since I have a wide monitor, I do it rarely. Also I have two monitors with thousand window apps to keep an eye on eveything while I'm developing ^_^
For me, it has to be 'yes, always'. The screen feels messy when I can see several windows whilst performing one task. Not to mention the several occasions when I've accidently closed the wrong window...
I went with "Yes, sometimes" because of my browsing differences between PC and Mac. On my widescreen Mac monitor at work, I almost never maximize. I actually have the Web Developer Toolbar set my window to 1024x768 and I readjust when necessary. But at home, on my 1152x864 PC monitor, I DO maximize.
On mac I never maximize any window because I always want to open finder for something. Then I just click on any side/edge of my screen, where there's no window maximized and command+n. I dont like to hide an aplication just to access finder or navigate through command+tab because I always have a lot of applications running at the same time.
The results of this poll could be very interesting but I feel that there needs to be some context. It would be good if there was a field to enter the screen size / resolution as while I never full screen my browser this is only because I'm running a 1920x1080 display.
When I'm working with my large external monitor, I leave the width of one desktop icon on either side of my Firefox window so that I can use the desktop as a temporary holding place for files as I work without having to minimize the window. On my laptop, I usually maximize so that I can use the most screen real estate for browsing.
Amy - 15 years ago
I rarely maximize my window on my Mac or PC. I tend to always have a few things going on so I find that not maximizing my browser tends to help me get where I need to go faster.
These results aren't entirely helpful, you really need to askwhat resolution the user is using as well. Or better yet browser window size. Not quite as easy for people to measure though.
Weirdly I always do, regardless if I'm on Win7 or Ubuntu. It's pretty weird since I have a 24" 1080i screen, but I kind of like it better.
However, not all that space is wasted, since on both OSs I have Firefox with Tree Style Tabs, which makes use of the side space by putting the tab bar there, so I'm good :]
This is more a function of screen size than personal preference.
A 15" laptop is too wide for maximum window browsers while a 13" laptop is perfect for it. Likewise I would never maximize my browser window on my 24" external monitors.
I remember I used to always have it maximized back when I had a PC on a smaller monitor, but ever since moving to a Mac the windowed experience just makes more sense.
I'd really like to see these results compared against Mac/Windows users as well as different screen resolutions. I have a sneaking suspicion that the majority of the "maximized" folks are on Windows and/or smaller screen resolutions.
When I'm at work with 2 monitors then one screen is always a maximized browser. At home w/ one monitor, it takes up most of the realestate, but not maximized.
Malabar Front - 15 years ago
No, never. Or very rarely.
My monitor is too big to warrant using full-screen applications, especially those where my eyes are constantly scanning around, such as web browsers. I'd either give myself tired eyes or neck ache.
I'm not sure I see the advantage, either. Most web sites aren't built to the dimensions of modern monitors; the extra space is often either wasted, or lines of text become so wide they're clunky and unreadable.
My browser window stays at about 1100px wide, and 100px or so shy of the top.
Yep, always - I often have all my windows maximised on Windows, saves accidentally ending up on the wrong one. However, on Linux its a different matter - though the web browser does stay maximised most of the time (1280x1024 screen so little point not having it maximised.)
My situation is the same as Amanda's. On my MacBook Pro I never maximize but on my PC, I always do. Part of it is the the resolution on the Mac and the PC's lack of screen size even with settings maximized.
Amanda - 15 years ago
When I'm working on my MacBook Pro, I NEVER maximize the window. When I'm on a Windows PC, I always have it maximized. I voted "No, rarely" because I do most of my web browsing on a Mac ... and I think like most Mac users, I never fully maximize my windows.
It really depends on which computer your using. When I'm on my home office desktop, I have my browsers in different sizes as I usually have two or three open at any one time while developing sites. I have dual 25" displays set on 1920x1024 which works great when you have other tools displayed. In fact, I'm researching ways to get a 3rd 25" monitor right now! :) On my laptop, I usually maximize the browsers as the resolution is set at 1024x768 since it's only a 15.4" display.
Yes, sometimes, especially, when speech concerns вертки. Or when I work on MAC.
I use win7 so I use AeroSnap to fill half of the screen when I'm developing/designing. I have two monitors but I prefer having Photoshop maximized. When I'm not designing my browser remains at full screen. Thanks for asking...
maximizing browser windows is a typical sickness of common windows users. it has no real usability background, it's common sense, but that doesn't mean that it's good.
As many others: I maximize on Windows, but more or less never on my Mac
@dgiulI always maximize Google Chrome on XP.
On Mac, I keep a 50px margin from the bottom, 20px from the sides of my Safari because I often need to click windows behind it.
Same as a few of the people above. I maximize on windows, but not on my macbook pro.
2560x1600 here so maximised is way too big. I usually have 4 windows tiled.
I ALWAYS work on maximized windows. I just need the white space to stand all the information i get ;-)
I always maximize whatever software I'm using, including my web browser. I just like having my entire focus on one application at a time, and I hate when I can see all the other things I have running cluttering up my space when I'm not using them at that exact second.
I work between multiple programs simultaneously and it helps me keep on task.
I'm mainly a Windows user, but when I work on my Mac I find myself getting distracted more easily because it seems to lend itself better to the windowed experience.
I think Windows lending itself more to a maximized experience is one of the reasons I work on my PC more often, now that I think about it.
With a 22" widescreen monitor @1920x1080, fullscreen browsing is like looking directly into the sun for some websites ;)
Always maximised.
Only time when it isn't is when I'm debugging something and want to see output in eclipse as it's running.
Yes, always. Both on the notebook (13" Dell 1280x800) and on the desktop monitor (22" Dell @ 1680x1050).
I never maximise my browser - I have a 20" screen (imac) so full size is too big for most websites (though I have noticed that designs are getting wider than they used to be) and it's also not comfortable to browse at that size. I really hate it when a website re-sizes my browser to full screen!
Very few sites can take advantage of even a slightly modern monitor's full resolution. What's the point in maximizing?
Almost always maximised on the office PCs. I use dual screen so the browser is usally on the 2nd screen whilst the main screen is usually photoshop, dreamweaver or thunderbird. Even if its on the mainscreen (like now most otehr things are shut down for the day) its maximised - and this screen is 1680*1050
On the mac its usually taking up 2/3 of the screen.
Like other mac users, I do not maximize. On a windows machine (desktop / laptop / netbook), I'll always maximize my window. I'll only maximize on a mac when the browser is on my screen screen.
Depends on if I'm working on something that requires firebug.
It also depends on the current monitor resolutions I'm using. At home on my 23" I don't need to maximize all the time, but at work I'll keep a browser maximized on one screen and code on the other.
It also depends on the site I'm looking at. If it will benefit me to use the full width, why not. If its an older client's site from 2000, theres no need for that much whitespace.
Depends on what screen im working on, but it's rare i ever maximise to cover my whole screen.
The windows I don't maximize are Pidgin, Gwibber and Skype. All others are usually maximized.
I maxize only when I need to see more tabs in my window.
Yes, always. On my Eee PC - 1024x600px.
Maximize on a Mac? No thanks. That's Windows bull****
Always maximised. I'm a Mac user but i always use two monitors at once. So if i have to use two windows i can work freely.
I always surf in maximize mode hate to browse with window border and thing behind the web
Always maximised (but I'm almost always using Windows).
I'd love to hear from those who do NOT maximise, whether they get any benefit from that. I can understand that those using large resolutions, browsing fixed-width websites, get little benefit from maximising, but is there any benefit from not-maximising? E.g. do you often find yourself doing something in another window or drag/dropping from/to the web browser? I just don't find myself performing these operations enough, and I'd rather benefit from the Fitt's law advantages that having a full-screen window provide.
On Windows, always. On my Mac, sometimes. Depends on what I am doing, I often need to have more than one browser window open.
On my 22 inch monitor at work, no - it's too wide, especially if I'm reading a great deal of text in a liquid layout. Most websites have a content width of under 1000px anyway, so there's no point.
On Mac - never. On Windows - always. Don't know why
Since I have Arch Linux with 6 virt. desktops, I maximize browser window.
I have a 30" monitor set at 2560x1600 pixels at work, so I do not maximize my browser windows there (I actually use a proggie called WinSplit to divide my screen into four equal quadrants).
However, on all other monitors, I almost always maximize my browser window.
Almost always!
gerger
ewrt rewtre ertretre tre re rete re er teter ter
Maximizing the browser totally defeats the purpose of having a high resolution display.
When I worked on PC, always. Since switching to Mac 2 years ago, never/rarely.
I work on a MacBook Pro with a secondary monitor hooked up. I always have the web browser maximized on the smaller MacBook display with whatever work I'm doing on the larger secondary display. Sometimes I'll open up a new browser window and maximize it in the secondary display if I need to work on a web app that would benefit from more screen real estate (like Hotgloo for instance). I noticed from other comments a lot of Mac users don't maximize their browser window. Even when I was working with a regular MacBook, I would almost always have the browser window maximized since using expose to navigate to other windows or programs was just so easy.
well, since I have a wide monitor, I do it rarely. Also I have two monitors with thousand window apps to keep an eye on eveything while I'm developing ^_^
For me, it has to be 'yes, always'. The screen feels messy when I can see several windows whilst performing one task. Not to mention the several occasions when I've accidently closed the wrong window...
Never. I have a screen with a resolution of 1680x1050, and there's no need to have the browser window that big.
I went with "Yes, sometimes" because of my browsing differences between PC and Mac. On my widescreen Mac monitor at work, I almost never maximize. I actually have the Web Developer Toolbar set my window to 1024x768 and I readjust when necessary. But at home, on my 1152x864 PC monitor, I DO maximize.
I use chrome's windowsizer plugin, usually sized at 1280x768
always maximize on laptop tho
No, I keep it sized so that it fits next to my single-column #TweetDeck on my second monitor. I call it uber-tasking.
On mac I never maximize any window because I always want to open finder for something. Then I just click on any side/edge of my screen, where there's no window maximized and command+n. I dont like to hide an aplication just to access finder or navigate through command+tab because I always have a lot of applications running at the same time.
it depends on the size of the screen i use, definitly...at desk big=never maximize;
laptop=maximize more often...
The results of this poll could be very interesting but I feel that there needs to be some context. It would be good if there was a field to enter the screen size / resolution as while I never full screen my browser this is only because I'm running a 1920x1080 display.
When I'm working with my large external monitor, I leave the width of one desktop icon on either side of my Firefox window so that I can use the desktop as a temporary holding place for files as I work without having to minimize the window. On my laptop, I usually maximize so that I can use the most screen real estate for browsing.
I rarely maximize my window on my Mac or PC. I tend to always have a few things going on so I find that not maximizing my browser tends to help me get where I need to go faster.
These results aren't entirely helpful, you really need to askwhat resolution the user is using as well. Or better yet browser window size. Not quite as easy for people to measure though.
Weirdly I always do, regardless if I'm on Win7 or Ubuntu. It's pretty weird since I have a 24" 1080i screen, but I kind of like it better.
However, not all that space is wasted, since on both OSs I have Firefox with Tree Style Tabs, which makes use of the side space by putting the tab bar there, so I'm good :]
This is more a function of screen size than personal preference.
A 15" laptop is too wide for maximum window browsers while a 13" laptop is perfect for it. Likewise I would never maximize my browser window on my 24" external monitors.
I remember I used to always have it maximized back when I had a PC on a smaller monitor, but ever since moving to a Mac the windowed experience just makes more sense.
I'd really like to see these results compared against Mac/Windows users as well as different screen resolutions. I have a sneaking suspicion that the majority of the "maximized" folks are on Windows and/or smaller screen resolutions.
I have tweaked it to have maximum screen real estate.
since I have 1920x1080 resolution I rarely maximize it...
When I'm at work with 2 monitors then one screen is always a maximized browser. At home w/ one monitor, it takes up most of the realestate, but not maximized.
No, never. Or very rarely.
My monitor is too big to warrant using full-screen applications, especially those where my eyes are constantly scanning around, such as web browsers. I'd either give myself tired eyes or neck ache.
I'm not sure I see the advantage, either. Most web sites aren't built to the dimensions of modern monitors; the extra space is often either wasted, or lines of text become so wide they're clunky and unreadable.
My browser window stays at about 1100px wide, and 100px or so shy of the top.
Yep, always - I often have all my windows maximised on Windows, saves accidentally ending up on the wrong one. However, on Linux its a different matter - though the web browser does stay maximised most of the time (1280x1024 screen so little point not having it maximised.)
My situation is the same as Amanda's. On my MacBook Pro I never maximize but on my PC, I always do. Part of it is the the resolution on the Mac and the PC's lack of screen size even with settings maximized.
When I'm working on my MacBook Pro, I NEVER maximize the window. When I'm on a Windows PC, I always have it maximized. I voted "No, rarely" because I do most of my web browsing on a Mac ... and I think like most Mac users, I never fully maximize my windows.