This feature entails a new user-facing setting within Orion's Preferences, likely a checkbox, labeled something like "Use compact full-screen for videos" or "Prevent videos from opening in a new Space"
The purpose of this feature is to give users control over how full-screen video content is displayed. Its primary function is to disable the default macOS native full-screen behavior, where a video takes over the entire screen by moving to a new, separate Desktop Space. Instead, with this option enabled, a video would expand to fill only the current browser window's viewport, staying within the same Desktop Space.
This feature would have a significant and positive impact on user experience and workflows, especially for those who multitask:
Reduces Disruption: It eliminates the jarring screen-swipe animation and the cognitive disconnect of being moved to an entirely different workspace just to watch a video.
Streamlines Multitasking: Users can quickly and seamlessly switch between the full-screen video and their other tabs using standard keyboard shortcuts or by moving the mouse to the top of the screen to reveal the tab bar. This is impossible in the native full-screen mode.
Maintains Context: It keeps the user within their established workspace, allowing for easier access to other applications, the dock, and the menu bar without having to constantly switch between Spaces.
Essentially, this feature offers a less intrusive and more integrated full-screen experience that respects the user's established workflow.
A user would interact with this feature in a simple, one-time setup:
The user navigates to Orion's Settings menu.
They would go to a relevant section, such as "General" or "Appearance."
Here, they would find and enable the "Use compact full-screen for videos" option.
From that point on, their video playback experience is permanently altered. For example, when browsing YouTube, they would click the standard full-screen icon on the video player. Instead of the screen sliding over to a new macOS Space, the following would happen:
The video player would instantly expand to fill the entire content area of the current Orion window.
The browser's UI elements (like the tab bar and address bar) would hide, creating an immersive, full-screen illusion.
Crucially, the Orion window itself would remain in its current position and on the same Desktop Space. The user could easily reveal their tabs and the address bar by simply moving their cursor to the top edge of the screen.
Implementation in Other Browsers:
The most direct example is Firefox. It offers this exact functionality through its advanced configuration page. A user can type about:config in the address bar, search for the preference full-screen-api.macos-native-full-screen, and toggle its value to false. This achieves the desired behavior. While powerful, Firefox's implementation is hidden and not user-friendly. Orion could significantly improve upon this by offering a simple, accessible toggle directly in its main settings panel, which would be more in line with Orion's philosophy of user-centric design.
This feature doesn't add on to an existing one as much as it provides a critical alternative mode for it. It extends the usefulness of the browser's core video playback capability by introducing a layer of choice. It acknowledges that not all users prefer the macOS default and empowers them to tailor the browser's behavior to fit their specific workflow, reinforcing Orion's position as a truly pro-user browser.
