Convert red button to "quit" functionality?

gsparks · 11-14-2007, 12:18 AM

OK... so I have an office full of former Winblows users who have ingrained in their minds that clicking the red button in the upper left hand corner of application windows somehow exits the program, when what it really does is close the active window.

As a result, during my wanderings through the office, I frequently see computers that have 6, 8, 10, even 11 applications open and running at any given time, although most have no active windows open.

So... is there any way to change the functionality of the red button so that it actually "quits" an application instead of merely closing the window?

Thanks,
GS

JDV · 11-14-2007, 12:47 AM

I've had the same experience, but it turns out that as long as the application isn't DOING anything (no active window), it really isn't affecting anything to any significant degree. So, I'm not too sure this merits going very far for a fix for it. The OS only gives it CPU time or reserves memory for it if the program requests it. So it may not be worth banging your head against a wall; just hope that it sooner or later works out that they figure out the clean way to close an application.

Joe VanZandt

tw · 11-14-2007, 01:24 AM

if it really annoys you, you could write a small applescript that quits applications that haven't been active for a period of time and don't have any unsaved changes, though you know for sure that weird guy in the back corner cubicle is going to complain about it.

...although, if you spend that much time wandering around the office, you might be that weird guy in the back corner cubicle, in which case it wouldn't matter...

iampete · 11-14-2007, 02:13 AM

Not intending to hijack the thread, but . . . .

There are some applications that actually quit (at least they appear to) when their open window's red button is clicked.

One specific example is UnRarX, and I have noticed several others whose names I can't remember anymore.

Is this an intentional "feature" or whatever that can be written into a program, or a poor implementation of a program, or just some flaky behavior in the system?

tw · 11-14-2007, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iampete


	Not intending to hijack the thread, but . . . . There are some applications that actually quit (at least they appear to) when their open window's red button is clicked. One specific example is UnRarX, and I have noticed several others whose names I can't remember anymore. Is this an intentional "feature" or whatever that can be written into a program, or a poor implementation of a program, or just some flaky behavior in the system?

no, this is intentional. usually you see it on utility programs where there is no reasonable need to have the program hang around after the user is done. I think System Preferences works like that, for instance. generally speaking, if it's assumed that the user might want to open another document, or for some other reason come back to the application, the window closes but the app stays in memory to cut down on load time when the user comes back.

benwiggy · 11-14-2007, 03:35 AM

The Apple Human Interface Guidelines state that small applications that have only one window should quit when the window is closed. e.g. System Preferences.

11-14-2007, 12:18 AM	#1
gsparks Major Leaguer Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Francisco Bay Area Posts: 461	Convert red button to "quit" functionality? OK... so I have an office full of former Winblows users who have ingrained in their minds that clicking the red button in the upper left hand corner of application windows somehow exits the program, when what it really does is close the active window. As a result, during my wanderings through the office, I frequently see computers that have 6, 8, 10, even 11 applications open and running at any given time, although most have no active windows open. So... is there any way to change the functionality of the red button so that it actually "quits" an application instead of merely closing the window? Thanks, GS

11-14-2007, 01:24 AM	#3
tw Hall of Famer Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 4,263	if it really annoys you, you could write a small applescript that quits applications that haven't been active for a period of time and don't have any unsaved changes, though you know for sure that weird guy in the back corner cubicle is going to complain about it. ...although, if you spend that much time wandering around the office, you might be that weird guy in the back corner cubicle, in which case it wouldn't matter... __________________ Philosophy is a battle against the bewitchment of our intelligence by means of language. -LW-

11-14-2007, 12:47 AM	#2
JDV Hall of Famer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Chicago, Illinois Posts: 3,191	I've had the same experience, but it turns out that as long as the application isn't DOING anything (no active window), it really isn't affecting anything to any significant degree. So, I'm not too sure this merits going very far for a fix for it. The OS only gives it CPU time or reserves memory for it if the program requests it. So it may not be worth banging your head against a wall; just hope that it sooner or later works out that they figure out the clean way to close an application. Joe VanZandt

11-14-2007, 02:13 AM	#4
iampete Major Leaguer Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 435	Not intending to hijack the thread, but . . . . There are some applications that actually quit (at least they appear to) when their open window's red button is clicked. One specific example is UnRarX, and I have noticed several others whose names I can't remember anymore. Is this an intentional "feature" or whatever that can be written into a program, or a poor implementation of a program, or just some flaky behavior in the system?

11-14-2007, 03:35 AM	#6
benwiggy League Commissioner Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: London Posts: 5,843	The Apple Human Interface Guidelines state that small applications that have only one window should quit when the window is closed. e.g. System Preferences.