I agree. I just added a second monitor to my 2011 Mac mini running OS X "Lion". I noticed the full screen video issue immediately. I appreciate your tip, thanks.
I think users are being overly picky. With the full screen video issue out of the way, I have no problem using Dual Displays as is. It is still very handy. I don't need to run my apps in full screen; maximized or resized is just fine.
Just for the record, I think adding these tablet features to OS X is dumb. I don't want to use touch on my desktop/laptop; I don't want to soil the screen with fingerprint smudges; I don't want to tire my arms reaching for the screen. I see no value in running apps in full screen (with the exception of video playback). I've used Mac and Windows for many years and I have never missed this full screen feature; I never will.
getbarrett wrote:
Just a thought/question... Have you considered just not using Lion's "fullscreen" with an app? Wouldn't that be like is was with SL in terms of external displays? Just drag to position and maximize the window and re-size as you wish?
It seems to me that Apple did not take away or "break" any feature so much as added one and it's just not working in the exact way that people want it to. I think they designed fullscreen with MacBooks in mind where screen real estate is precious. I do know that in Mountain Lion, you can choose which monitor you want the fullscreen app to open on which is different from Lion, but it still keeps the other monitor as part of that same app. For example, if you open iPhoto and take it fullscreen, you can have the photo browser on one monitor and editing HUD, toolbars, etc. on the other.
In terms of watching video full screen with Lion...
With Quicktime, just drag video window to the monitor you'd like to use and choose View -> Fit to Screen
With VLC (2.0):
1) VLC -> Preferences... Interface > uncheck "Use native fullscreen on OS X Lion"
2) Video > uncheck "Black screens in Fullscreen"
3) Fullscreen Video Device = choose which monitor you want to use
4) SAVE, exit and then re-launch VLC
Every time something changes – especially big changes like a whole OS – and I don't particularly like a feature or wish it were different, I have to remind myself that Apple is not forcing me to buy their products. It is a choice and if I don't like it, I can send them feedback (which they are not forced to listen too), not upgrade or use something else. I certainly don't take it personally or think that "Apple doesn't care about it's users". It seems to me the opposite is true.
And if you disagree with me, okay, but please don't be mean! Life's too short. It's just a computer.