Full screen Maximise with double-click

I cannot test (as I described, my Pismo is busted)

I seem to recall that on my Pismo there was a certain app - maybe MS Entourage - that had a fully MAXIMIZED window that had "pixels to spare" outside of the window on the left and right sides = you should be able to swipe the cursor to the "edge" and still be "over the window" - but NO, a click there would focus on the underlying app or Finder

What app? All apps?

Try this...

• Manually move the window to where the window is justified top and left of the display.
• drag the resize corner of the window (bottom right) to bottom right of the display
  this should manually FILL the display with the window

What happens when you:

• Hold down the Option key while you click the green maximize button in the top-left corner of an app window?
• Option-click the green button again?

I'm not being irrational.. this is something that should be simple.

This is flaw with Macs as I expected.

A lot of Mac users use their screen for more than one thing - more than one window open at the same time to make working with certain apps/tasks efficient. Personally, I find full screen or maximizing anything totally annoying - I need to see/have access to the desktop so I can get to whatever it is I need there. I don't look at my 27" iMac screen as a TV stand-in, but a place where I can work efficiently. And it's great for comparing notes, specs, whatever. Comparing specs/instructions for bluetooth speakers here:

Yeah, well.... Lotsa people "switched" and expect like behavior

My Powerbook got sat upon by a hippopotamus and I am borrowing a PC until I get motivated to replace the display (patiently waiting in the FedEx box) 😟

It's a Windoze thang...

Double-click the "top" bar (title bar or menu bar if not showing title) = "custom size"

Do it again = MAXIMIZED -- edge to edge, top to bottom

To maximize without going to Full Screen Mode follow these directions:

OS X El Capitan: Window basics

Hd disply

Double-clicking the top bar does not do that. Clicking the green button should maximize the screen. Or command-control-f. Or View Menu > Enter Full Screen Mode.

Yes, you can give Apple feedback but don't expect an answer.

I still don't know what you mean by double-clicking the top bar? That minimizes to the Dock for me.

Windows...Bah!

I think macjack is right. As of macOS 10.12 Sierra, the dock preferences only give the 2 options to zoom or minimize via double-clicking the window's title bar.