Longtime Windows users who have migrated to Mac OS X may require a little time to get used to Apple’s operating system. Let’s talk about the green button — known as the Zoom button — that is visible on almost every Mac application. This button doesn’t do what you think it does.
The Zoom button, when clicked, doesn’t resize windows automatically. Give it a try: launch Safari, hit the green button, and you will know the browser doesn’t resize itself, and it will not expand to full-screen. Sure, there’s a button to maximize Safari to full-screen, but there are many others apps — Finder, for instance — that cannot be resized using the zoom button.
Zoom button simply positions the window to its previous state. As posted in Apple’s developer library: “Zoom button toggles a window between its standard state and its user state.”
To conveniently resize current windows to the available screen space on your Mac, you may want to download Right Zoom. This free application changes the behavior of the green button, allowing you to maximize and resize windows at your convenience.
After you have downloaded and installed Right Zoom on your Mac, you will notice there are two tabs in the application — General and Application tab.
The General tab gives user the power to activate Right Zoom, maximize window when a certain key is pressed, or use hotkeys to maximize window.
Application tab allows users to configure Right Zoom. It is possible to enable Right Zoom on only a handful of apps or all the apps on your Mac machine. Once you have configured the settings you are comfortable with, hit the “Apply” button.
In cases like Finder and Safari browser, Right Zoom is really useful. The ability to use shortcut keys makes life a little more easier. Some will agree when I say that Apple should have blended this feature into Mac OS X — well, until Apple acknowledges our requests, Right Zoom app is your friend in need.
App works just fine on Mountain Lion 10.8, iMac machine. Right Zoom runs on all Macs running Mac OS X 10.5 or later.
