Little question BIG discussion it seems. Well I think we are all trying to describe our own cars which is half the problem. Excuse me to be analytical for a moment about most of the cars I've driven over the years.
So lets analyze the A/C system shall we.
First 1991 Caprice:
Manual fan control and suggestive vent options. No recir. button, no A/C button. Max A/C meant compressor on, recir on. Normal & B/L meant A/C w/ no recir. It also had defroster linked A/C meaning the A/C was on when set to defrost(unless to cold of course). Standard compressor as well, it cycled no matter what.
1993 Saturn Sl1:
Manual Fan control, A/C, & recirc. Also Defroster linked A/C, A/C could be used in any way as well as recirc. except for defrost. It was disabled if memory serves. This meant the only time use of outside air was forced was in defrost. Standard compressor as well, cycled.
2000ish SL2:
Same as above but I know for sure newer SL's didn't illuminate the A/C button in defrost even when it was on(since defrost enables it by default). I am unsure about the older models.
2001 Hyundai Accent:
Manual fan, A/C, & recirc. control with a special note to the mechanical recirc. lever. Similar to Saturn with A/C enabled in defrost but the button light being lit when so. I note by the defrost settings to use outside air to prevent fogging. You could technically use recirc. on this car whenever you pleased.
2000 VW Jetta:
My old car which I miss dearly, Manual fan, A/C, & recirc. This was my first non-defroster linked system and I liked it much better. You had full control over everything no matter what. It had a variable disp. compressor which would stay on continuously as long as the A/C button was depressed.
2007 VW Rabbit:
Wife's old car, Manual fan, A/C, recirc. but automatic temp control. Climatic is the term used. If you look in the middle of the button stack you can see a black dot which was an infrared temp sensor. It would maintain 72F the best it could but you had to adjust fan speed/A/C usage. Another non-linked defroster setup but because the blend doors were electric you could not use recirc. in any defrost mode. It would blink the button light and not come on or turn off if already on. Another variable displacement compressor as well and one [censored] of an A/C system. High fan, w/ recirc. on it could freeze you out of the cabin easily.
So Max A/C only meant something on the Caprice, other cars common sense stepped in which a lot people don't have. Which I feel is why you see it on a 2011 car. People are a little dumb to realize you can't effective cool a car if you are constantly pushing in 98F air.
Max A/C has nothing to do with keeping the compressor on longer in non-variable systems and everything to do with public perception. On variable systems it could force the use of 100% A/C for a short amount(in theory I have no proof) of time but as was already mentioned the car will throttle back to prevent icing of the evaporator. There is no way around that.