Each logical application (eg HN or ssh-to-example.com, not firefox or terminal) is in a separate window. The window list at the bottom of the screen shows a list of which windows (not physical applications) exist, and then I click on the window(-list-entry) button thingy for the (logical, not physical) application I want.

> Because Windows and Mac both only show icons as well

Windows (version Vista or worse, because this definitely wasn't a problem in XP) and Mac are defective by design then.