=== modified file 'src/sp-namedview.cpp'
--- src/sp-namedview.cpp	2013-01-23 12:22:14 +0000
+++ src/sp-namedview.cpp	2013-04-14 11:10:59 +0000
@@ -782,22 +782,22 @@
             // prevent the window from moving off the screen to the left or to the top
             x = MAX(MIN_ONSCREEN_DISTANCE - nv->window_width, x);
             y = MAX(MIN_ONSCREEN_DISTANCE - nv->window_height, y);
-            if (w>0 && h>0) {
-
-                #ifndef WIN32
-                gint dx, dy, dw, dh;
-                desktop->getWindowGeometry(dx, dy, dw, dh);
-                if (w != dw || h != dh) {
-                    // Don't show dialogs when window is initially resized on OSX/Linux due to gdl dock bug
-                    // This will happen on sp_desktop_widget_size_allocate
-                    show_dialogs = FALSE;
-                }
-                #endif
-
-                desktop->setWindowSize(w, h);
-                desktop->setWindowPosition(Geom::Point(x, y));
-
-            }
+            // set the default size if it is a new document
+            if (!(w>0) || !(h>0)) {
+                w = gdk_screen_width() * 0.75;
+                h = gdk_screen_height() * 0.75;
+            }
+            #ifndef WIN32
+            gint dx, dy, dw, dh;
+            desktop->getWindowGeometry(dx, dy, dw, dh);
+            if (w != dw || h != dh) {
+                // Don't show dialogs when window is initially resized on OSX/Linux due to gdl dock bug
+                // This will happen on sp_desktop_widget_size_allocate
+                show_dialogs = FALSE;
+            }
+            #endif
+            desktop->setWindowSize(w, h);
+            desktop->setWindowPosition(Geom::Point(x, y));
         }
 
     }