Hiding a window vs closing a window

[sourceninja]

Ok, I know this is silly, but I just found out that clocking the red X in windows or pressing command-w is not the same as hiding a window. Now my question is what is the difference between the two.

Say I'm running transmission. It is downloading a file and I don't want the GUI up on my screen. Currently I press command-w or kick the red X and it just sits in my dock downloading away.

But this is not the same as hiding the window with command-h. I found this out because I found the setting to make hidden applications transparent in the dock. So why would I use command-w over command-h?

 

[Kmax82]

Umm.. the main difference I've found is that you actually have to "click" on the app in the dock to get the windows to show back up when you use CMD+W. Where as if you just hide them.. you can CMD+TAB to bring them back much more easily.

I've always used CMD+W, and just recently learned about hiding and I find it much easier... I just have to train my fingers to use CMD+H instead of CMD+W.

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: Kmax82
Umm.. the main difference I've found is that you actually have to "click" on the app in the dock to get the windows to show back up when you use CMD+W. Where as if you just hide them.. you can CMD+TAB to bring them back much more easily.

I've always used CMD+W, and just recently learned about hiding and I find it much easier... I just have to train my fingers to use CMD+H instead of CMD+W.

I think Kmax is right in that being the main difference. I used to hide all the time, but that was back when I regularly had 12-15 different apps open at once, with who knows how many windows each. Now I use my MacBook for much more pedestrian things, and so don't really bother with either hiding or closing.

 

[sourceninja]

I use my notebook mostly for development. So I like having itunes, cyberduck, adium, etc all with no windows open. Keeps the clutter down even with multiple desktops. I think i'll try hiding for a while and see if I like it.

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: sourceninja
I use my notebook mostly for development. So I like having itunes, cyberduck, adium, etc all with no windows open. Keeps the clutter down even with multiple desktops. I think i'll try hiding for a while and see if I like it.

It might also be possible that when you close the window you free up more RAM than if you just hide the window, but I am not sure.

 

[Tyranicus]

It does make a difference for things like web browsers. Hiding my Firefox window means that it will come back exactly as I left it when I click on the dock icon. Closing the window means that I will get a brand new window with my homepage when I click the icon.