Poll: Safari’s popularity scorched by Firefox.

[MacBytes]

Category: 3rd Party Software
Link: Poll: Safari’s popularity scorched by Firefox. (http://www.macbytes.com/link.php?sid=20050225120718)
Posted on MacBytes.com (http://www.macbytes.com)

Approved by Mudbug

[lmalave]

Apple should just ditch Safari and throw its weight behind Firefox. The work done on Safari wouldn't be a total waste, though, since the lightweight rendering engine is used within iTunes (to render the music store).

[Timelessblur]

well I expect it to be even worse for Sarfi because with 25% or so alread on firefox and that will on continue to grow.

That 65% I think is really lower since mac world is mainy only visit by die hard apple fans

[nagromme]

Despite my long history with Netscape flavors--including Camino--I still greatly prefer the compactness of Safari.

[killmoms]

The only thing I use Camino for is logging into my bank's Internet banking page, since it refuses to consistently behave in Safari. I prefer the interface smoothness and speed of Safari to the slower-launching, less Mac-like Camino (not to even mention Firefox).

[bennetsaysargh]

i use safari and never looked back. i have tried firefox, and i don't know what it is, but i don't like it as much as safari.

[wdlove]

I use Safari exclusively, usually easier to stick with Apple. If Apple were to buy Firefox, then I could see switching. My wife downloaded Firefox because of login problems with Safari, but she still uses Safari more.

[edesignuk]

I hardly ever use Safari, Firefox all the way. For me it's faster, and much more functional (extensions!!!!).

[yellow]

Noooooooo! I HATE FireFox and it's Netscapiness! Don't make me use that piece of crap!

[Timelessblur]

well either way Safria is still so far under the rader that it not even look at for browser testing or capiblity. Which being under 2% it not going to be consider and until it leaves the "other catigotor" it going to sit like that.
IE, Moz, netscape, Oprea hell even the AOL browser is more widely used that safari

I think Safari is sitting at best at 50% prouble less for mac use (the poll is very baise poll by the nature of the site by it self and is load with the people who think if it not apple it sucks)

[1macker1]

I think Safari is the best. But why when u "right click" in the browser window, you dont get the option to: go back, forward, reload...:(

that's my only gripe with Safari.

[solvs]

Safari is great, but on my PC I use Firefox. I don't know if I'd use Safari on a PC if I could, but the fact that they make Firefox for the Mac is a good thing for Apple overall, so they're probably happy that it's so popular for both platforms. No one says you can only use one, and the enemy of my enemy, and all that. This could only help if they both continue to work toward the same standards. When IE is no longer as dominant, it will be a good thing for Mozilla and Apple.

Plus, a little heathy competion is always a good thing for the consumer.

[lmalave]

I hardly ever use Safari, Firefox all the way. For me it's faster, and much more functional (extensions!!!!).

Totally. Even just simple things like how you have a choice of search engines (I prefer Yahoo to Google). And how the look and feel is so customizable, so you could make the interface look More safari-like if you wanted. Though I actually prefer the Firefox interface to Safari's. Heck, I even use Thunderbird instead of Mail.

[Nermal]

I use Firefox on Windows, but the Mac version's too buggy for me to seriously consider it. I've been using Safari since February 2003 and don't plan on switching any time soon.

[thequicksilver]

The Mac version of Firefox is crap, I'm afraid to say. I keep on trying to get on with it, but can't. I've been using Firefox on Windows since version 0.5 in early 2003, when it was still called Phoenix. Think the Windows version is the best browser ever, on any platform. The Mac version just doesn't work.

Best Mac browser all round at the moment I'd say is Camino. I like Safari's interface and general snappiness, but it chokes with animated gifs, Java and Flash.

If/when Firefox gets Mac-ified (version 1.1 by Easter apparently) I'm in for good. Until then, I stand by what I said.

[abc123]

i use firefox after i had all sorts of safari problems, not connecting to any sites.
safari works fine now but i'm used to firefix with all my extentions now. the only thing that i miss is spell check in text but i guess that only promotes laziness anyway.

safari isn't a bad browser and firefox has its quirks too but i'm happy this way.

[awulf]

My favourite web browser is Safari. Firefox is good on Windows and Linux, but on Mac OS X, its very buggy and doesn't have a spell checker.

The only problem I have with Safari, is that I get the Beach Ball popping up a few times.

There are a few extensions around for Safari, like coloured HTML source and the use of different search engines for the search field (AcidSearch (http://www.pozytron.com/acidsearch)). Safari's Debug menu also makes it much better to use.

[Savage Henry]

Safari for the Mac amd Firefox for the Windows ... Sure I wouldn't mind a tad more functionality with Safari but it meets my needs. I can easily see how users favour Firefox over it, but to me Safari feels a bit more polished.

I don't think it will go the way of Sherlock, File Vault and Firewire.

[Warbrain]

I can definitely say that Safari has gone the way of IE for Mac. Safari is never updated, it's WebKit is so outdated now that sites won't work with it, it's slow, it doesn't respond to user interaction (i.e. beachball). I use Firefox every day and have no problems at all with it. I don't know where people get the idea that it's buggy. I've had no problems other than the lame image problem, but that's fixed now.

[musicpyrite]

Safari on a Mac, Firefox on Windows. Firefox for the Mac is too buggy, doesn't have a spell checker (maybe an extension does?), and doesn't fell Mac like.

[thequicksilver]

I can definitely say that Safari has gone the way of IE for Mac. Safari is never updated, it's WebKit is so outdated now that sites won't work with it, it's slow, it doesn't respond to user interaction (i.e. beachball).

By any chance do you have PithHelmet installed on Safari? I found that's the most massive CPU hog ever. If so, it may explain the issues you're having with Safari.

Which sites are you using with Safari which used to work but don't now? I've not seen this issue.

What you're saying though as regards stagnation is true. Apple's lack of updates for Safari, restricting it to the new OS only is absolutely pathetic. I would call it Microsoft tactics, but Microsoft have never done anything like this with a browser - IE 6 is available for versions of Windows other than the latest XP.

[jim.]

I can't live with Safari or Firefox on the Mac. I tend to have them both crap out on me every couple of days or so; particularly in the middle of something important like ordering a huge amount of supplies for my lab.

For some reason the lightweight KHTML engine seems to render slightly slower than the Gecko engine. I know there are hacks to get around this, but even then I notice a lag. This is on OSX and on KDE under Linux and BSD. Gecko is fast, but the XUL interface present in Mozilla and Firefox tends to be pretty resource intensive.

Due to those complaints I have to use Camino. It is relatively lightweight, stable, and fast. It also integrates into OSX system components, and is a Cocoa app, so the XUL overhead isn't present. Using Camino extra prefs, it is a little less spartan and a little more customizable. I don't love it, but it lets me get my work done.

Hopefully Firefox 1.1 will work out the issues I have (it is planned to). Then maybe I can finally have my killer browser for OSX.

Jim

[EGT]

I've tried IE, Firefox and Safari.

I only use Safari. By far my favourite!

[dvdh]

I used to use safari all the time on my mac, then I started using Firefox on my PC, so I thought to try it on Mac. Unfortunately I keep running into sites that claim that the Java is not enabled in Firefox on the Mac, so I am back with Safari (has been few times that it has let me down.) Maybe in a few more versions, I'll try Firefox again, but at the moment, for my uses, Safari is the far better browser.

[iJaz]

i use firefox after i had all sorts of safari problems, not connecting to any sites.

I stil have that problem, more often lately, really annoying. I am writing this using Firefox, because Safari can't find any sites at the moment!

[matticus008]

I used to use safari all the time on my mac, then I started using Firefox on my PC, so I thought to try it on Mac. Unfortunately I keep running into sites that claim that the Java is not enabled in Firefox on the Mac, so I am back with Safari (has been few times that it has let me down.) Maybe in a few more versions, I'll try Firefox again, but at the moment, for my uses, Safari is the far better browser.

For this problem, try getting the User Agent switcher (I think it's not a platform-based extension). It will allow those detector scripts to interpret Firefox as a different browser, for example IE 6 for Windows. You might stop getting that "no Java" error until Firefox gets updated or people start coding proper JS detectors.

[Mike Teezie]

I downloaded Firefox to see what the fuss was about. I like it ok, but overall I'm just sort of "meh" about it.

Safari rocks for me. As does Mail.

[dvdh]

For this problem, try getting the User Agent switcher (I think it's not a platform-based extension).

Thanks, I will give that a try and see if helps out at all. . .

[john1123]

I like firefox. It is much more functional and much faster than safari. However, it eats my cpu big time so i mostly use safari.

Oh and did i mention that firefox always hangs on me?

[iBlue]

I notice good and bad aspects to any internet browser, of course. Firefox and Safari are about *even* in my opinion of their features and functionality. <shrugs> I think I'd use Safari more often if it were just slightly faster.
I digress.

[DaveP]

I like Firefox and Safari about the same. I give Firefox the slight nod because I think competition is good. (part of the reason why I got a mac :) )

[swindmill]

the extensions really do it for me with Firefox. I couldn't go without a few of them. Who could live without Farkit? :D

I'm not sure what the buggy issues are with Firefox on Mac. I've never noticed any, but I'd be interested to hear the problems others are having. I do really love the look of Safari, though. I wish someone would put together a safari theme for Firefox.

[maya]

Active Safari user here, something visual lacking with FireFox IMHO. :)

[Azurael]

I use Safari on the Mac and Firefox on the PC... I too used FF on Windows/Linux when it was called Phoenix... Then Firebird... Then Firefox, and have had practically no problems with it, but somehow on the mac, it just doesn't feel 'right' - if they ever properly integrate it, I'll probably replace Safari, but for now I'd rather put up with the frequent 'Could not load any data from this location' or just use one of the PCs for web browsing :(

[Bradley W]

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[Bradley W]

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[puckhead193]

I like mozilla on the PC side cause its better then internet explorer, but i like safari for now :cool:

[Jonx]

I've been using firefox since it was 0.5 (phoenix, firebird..) 5 months ago I switched to mac and tried safari, it looks nice and easy to use but I never get used to it, I use firefox all the time I love those little extensions that makes browsing better ( like adblock :p )I think firefox doesn't look like a mac application like safari but its better than safari when it comes to browsing :)