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Why do windows, on Macs or on PCs, not have a little
button that
locks them open? Clicking the lock-open button would
mean
that any subsequent attempt to close the window
prompted
an "are you sure?" message.
I know that most software won't let you close a window
with
unsaved changes,
without a prompt. But I am thinking
of, for
example, a web browser where I would appreciate a
prompt
only for certain windows that I really don't want to close
inadvertently.
[link]
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Switch to Google Chrome. The Reopen Closed Tab
function is a godsend. Even works if you accidentally
close a group of tabs in the same window. |
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[+] Just be sure not to put the lock button right next to the X. |
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(I had a better comment, but sadly closed the
window by mistake.) |
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Or make an program that is "always on top" and put it over the X button. Now make that program monitor the position of the window it is on top of so if you drag the active window, the "always on top" window move accordingly to continue blocking the X. |
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Messy. To be useful, this would have to be in the
operating system. |
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Which reminds me of another context where I'd like
this: I'll often be shuffling files around a set of
folders, and would like not to inadvertently close a
finder window (or whatever the equivalent is on a
godforsaken Window's system). A "lock open" button
on every open window - whether belonging to a
program or to the OS, would solve this. |
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I can inambiguously state that I value close buttons
of all shapes, sizes and colours. All I ask out of life
(apart from the money, cars, houses etc etc) is that
I should be able to lock a window open, against
nonadvertent closure. |
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What if you accidentally unlock it? |
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Talking to Gates will be hard to do ...Jobs even harder. |
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//What if you accidentally unlock it?// |
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Then that is unfortunate. I'm not asking a lot
here. All I want is to be able to say "Listen, if I
close this particular, special window that I really
like, just ask me to make sure, okay?" |
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It's not much. It shouldn't be obtrusive, because
OSs are overfeatured and underused as it is. Just
a wee buttonette at the top right of every
window, which I can ignore if I so choose. Or, if
you don't like your windows to have furniture,
make it a keyboard shortcut. Whatever. |
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////What if you accidentally unlock it?//// |
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//Then that is unfortunate. I'm not asking a lot here. All I want is to be able to say "Listen, if I close this particular, special window that I really like, just ask me to make sure, okay?"// |
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Well it seems to me that there are obvious two possibilities. One is to make it so it can't be unlocked - you're just committed to an "are you sure" dialogue. The other is that you could have the option to lock the lock button recursively. These could stack up along the title bar. |
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//You want MORE of them?// |
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[21Q], I will explain this again for the hard of
thinking. |
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If I don't use this feature, the window behaves
exactly as normal. I can open it, I can close it, I
can close it accidentally, I can make a cup of tea
while I decide whether to close it or not. In short
- life goes on very much as usual. |
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If (please note the use of the word 'if') I find that I
am often accidentally closing windows; and if
(ditto) this vexes me; and if (reditto) I so wish;
then I can click a little button on the top of the
particular window or windows that I'm interested
in. Having clicked that button, I will then be
asked for confirmation before closing that
particular
window, or those particular windows. |
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In a free society, I am also at liberty to un-click
the little button, or even to never click it in the
first place. In which case, as has already been
extensively, exhaustively and extrusively
explained, my life continues very much
unaffected. |
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What if you forget to click the lock button and then accidentally close the window in its accidentally not-locked state? |
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There needs to be a dialog box upon selecting the lock asking if you're sure you want to lock it, to prevent accidental locking. |
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Also on each app icon, a lock-closed option to prevent opening a window inadvertently. |
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