"Peeled off" windows don't behave like proper windows

Thanks for Unity to all involved, it is a great product.

I was just wondering, is there a "good reason" why Unity's "peeled off" windows don't behave like proper Windows, well, Windows?

For example, if I "peel off" the Game window to put on a different screen, I can't use the usual Windows shortcuts to snap it to a screen area (really frustrating, for me), I can't tab to it (less of an issue), and so on.

 

I think what you're describing is a pretty typical situation with programs that have a dockable UI. While some programs (like Visual Studio) allow their dockable windows to be treated as full-fledged Windows windows, I think it's much more common for dockable windows to be "windows" only in the context of their programs, and not in the context of Windows.

I do remember having the same disappointment some time back, when I often wanted to toss a full-screen window on the second monitor. But one thing you could try is to put the windows the way you like them, and then save that layout. I believe that floating windows record their position when saved to a Layout, and you could easily switch between layouts you use a lot.

 

Remember that the Unity Editor is a multi-platform application. It may have been difficult enough getting the UI working on Windows, Mac, and Linux in the first place. That might not be a good reason from a user's perspective, but it's a reason why it might not support "special features" on certain platforms.

 

Thanks, yes, both fair points. I would still like to see it one day but I understand it may not be that easy to achieve.