Resizing windows on macOS Tahoe – the saga continues

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

macOS window resizing & snapping frustrations

  • Many commenters find basic window management on macOS (especially Tahoe) clumsy compared to Windows and Linux: harder to resize, no good thirds/ultrawide layouts, and more “pixel hunting” for edges/corners.
  • Some note built‑in features (green button hover, Split View, Mission Control tiling, Sequoia/Tahoe’s new snap/tiling) but others argue these are obscure, multi‑step, and far less intuitive than Windows’ drag-to-edge behavior.
  • Finder, screenshots, and multi-window file operations are also criticized as slower and more confusing than Windows equivalents.

Third‑party tools and workarounds

  • Strong reliance on tools like Rectangle/Rectangle Pro, Moom, Raycast, Swish, Aerospace, Amethyst, Hammerspoon scripts, Easy Move+Resize, BentoBox, Lasso, etc.
  • Several say these make macOS window management excellent, but others argue it’s a failure that core behavior requires add‑ons, versus Windows where snapping/FancyZones are 1st‑party.
  • Power users enable hidden features (e.g., NSWindowShouldDragOnGesture, control+command drag) or use tiling WMs to avoid ever grabbing borders.

Rounded corners & hitbox bug

  • The article’s focus: Tahoe’s extreme rounded corners leave a non-clickable “ghost square” where the resize cursor appears but doesn’t work.
  • Apple briefly fixed the corner hitbox in an RC, then reverted it before final, changing release notes from “Resolved Issue” to “Known Issue.”
  • Later discussion surfaces that the fix broke some NSWindow styles and floating/overlay windows, likely prompting the revert.
  • Some observe that only the active window shows the resize cursor, even though background windows can still be resized, adding to confusion.

Debate over hitbox thickness and UX

  • There is pedantic debate about whether reducing edge thickness 7→6 px really translates to “14% more likely to miss,” given non-uniform click distributions and tradeoffs with accidental drags.
  • Others argue the real issue is discoverability and asking users for sub‑millimeter precision, especially as displays get denser.

Comparisons to Windows, Linux, and tiling WMs

  • Windows is widely praised for snapping and FancyZones; macOS tools are seen as weaker or paid analogues.
  • Linux desktop environments (KDE, GNOME, i3/sway, Hyprland) are held up as best‑in‑class for keyboard‑driven or tiling workflows. Some say Linux now offers the sanest desktop overall.
  • Long‑time tiling WM users view overlapping windows and tiny resize regions as an antiquated paradigm.

Broader Apple quality & philosophy concerns

  • Many see Tahoe and “Liquid Glass” as emblematic of Apple prioritizing visual styling over usability and robustness.
  • Complaints extend beyond resizing: multi‑monitor chaos, flaky display layouts, Airdrop/clipboard instability, crashing apps, and performance regressions.
  • Some contrast Apple’s historic “it just works” ethos with today’s perceived “ship pretty, fix later” culture, and question leadership and internal priorities.