I am running Ubuntu Gutsy. I cannot get the arduino software to maximize . When I launch the software its small and in the middle of my screen and when i push maximize(to read code) it takes up my screen but the coding/menu page stays the same size as when I opened it with a large grey box on the right side filling the screen.. weird! :-?
Do you have any other graphical / GUI glitches? This sounds like a video driver problem. Are you using Compiz Fusion or a 2d desktop? Which manager are you using (Gnome, KDE, etc)? Which video card and driver are you using?
I'm posting this from Ubuntu and the Arduino IDE works perfectly for me out of the box.
I'm also running hardy 8.04 with the latest JDK on gnome and I'm experiencing the same issue. I do not believe it's a graphic drive problem. I'm not using any extra desktop effects engines such as compiz, only the out-of-the-box desktop effects that come wtih 8.04.
The out-of-the-box desktop effects in Ubuntu are being generated by Compiz, so it may be causing the problems you're seeing. Try disabling desktop effects completely (under Appearances) and see if it makes a difference.
Or of course you could just switch to the Eclipse IDE, it runs great regardless of desktop effects