Safari is Poison?

[electric]

Oh No,

I had a total OS X blow out. Classic stopped working, external CDRW stopped, DVD stopped, printer stopped working. I freaked out wondering what I might have done to goof things up. I decided to buy a new copy of OS X Jag and return drive to all zeros and start fresh thinking that maybe all the software updates have taken there collective toll. So everything is running great now but then I stumbled on a thread in slashdot regarding Safari problems and Oh shiznit, seems that if you print from Safari it can erase your home directory and cause other problems. Then I realized... I tried to print from Safari just before my blow out, the computer would not print and came up with a error window. So beware of the Beta.

Here is a link to the Slashdot thread

http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=03/01/09/2139223&mode=thread&tid=107

[Doctor Q]

At discussions.info.apple.com (http://discussions.info.apple.com/webx?230@122.tzDKa2YVfQ5.0@.3bbdb9d6), I spotted this scary post by Richard Peterson:

I option clicked on a link in Safari to test a download. The download changed to the name of my home directory as it was downloading. It saved into my User folder. In the blink of an eye, it removed, destroyed, evaporated, my entire Home directory, including the desktop which disappeared along with days of work projects that were on it! Safari itself disappeared because it was on the desktop. My multi-gig directory was suddenly only 32 k. Of course, all of my work files, financial records, etc. are in my Home directory; by some quirk of fate, I had just backed up work files other than those on the desktop to another drive. Yikes!!!
I have no evidence that the reports in this discussion are correct, so I'll just remind everyone that Safari is beta software and it's always wise to take backups, especially when testing new software.

[rainman::|:|]

This was posted in another thread; again I point out that if it's compressed, and downloading, it's NOT SAFARI that is causing these problems. It would probably be the browser that's downloading it. When it's downloading in, what SIT format, it's just like any other compressed file.

but the printing bug seems to be real. Pretty dangerous for Apple to release such a costly bug in the most anticipated software of the last few years... Tho it is a beta, and people seem to forget that.

Only problem I've had is that the Apple System Profiler stopped working the minute i first launched Safari, and hasn't worked since. Haven't needed it yet, so it's no big deal so far...

:)
pnw

[Doctor Q]

I searched MacRumors before I posted and didn't spot the other thread. Sorry if I'm duplicating what others have reported.

I read up some more on the downloading problem. From my understanding, the problem results from the naming of downloaded files when you use option-clicking. The downloaded files are given names xxx, xxx-1, xxx-2, etc., where xxx is your user name. If one of those names (most likely the xxx one) happens to be the name of an already existing file or folder in your download directory (often the desktop), it is being overwritten.

In any case, the problem has been reported to Apple.

[superkatalog]

here is the link to the previous thread:

dangerous bug in safari (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?threadid=17161)

[Hemingray]

Originally posted by paulwhannel
This was posted in another thread; again I point out that if it's compressed, and downloading, it's NOT SAFARI that is causing these problems. It would probably be the browser that's downloading it. When it's downloading in, what SIT format, it's just like any other compressed file.

paulwhannel, I don't think you understand the situation. People are downloading the files FROM WITHIN Safari. It is Safari that is causing this problem when it saves the file. Some peoples' home directories have been wiped after they use option-clicking a link to download the file from within Safari.

So... don't option-click in Safari until they address this, that's the safest solution.

[Wash!!]

I been printing and downloading with safari and have no problems.

[Ensign Paris]

I had same problem, i have lost thousands of files, and hundreds of pounds worth of data, earlier versions of Safari Beta didn't do this but this version did :(

Ensign

[Wash!!]

Originally posted by Ensign Paris
I had same problem, i have lost thousands of files, and hundreds of pounds worth of data, earlier versions of Safari Beta didn't do this but this version did :(

Ensign

Eaelier version? I though there was only one beta. the one that went on line on tuesday.
:confused:

[Kid Red]

No problems printing or downloading on 3 macs here. There's something else causing this issue as some have it and some don't. I want a real download amnager anyways, one with an open/save dialog so I can choose where files are downloaded to.

Seems maybe files downloaded to desktop or inside user folder maybe have issues? My download folder is root level.

[pgwalsh]

I wanted to thank everyone for downloading the beta and testing it before I download the final releas. :p :D

BETA BETA BETA BETA BETA BETA BETA BETA BUMMER!

[Wash!!]

What you download from apple's web site is the beta.!!!!!

[liven2]

It has worked just fine for me.. NOt a single issue except for a few java based web sites not working correctly but not bad at all.

[Durandal7]

Originally posted by Wash!!
What you download from apple's web site is the beta.!!!!!
I think that he meant when the final release comes out.

[pgwalsh]

Originally posted by Durandal7

I think that he meant when the final release comes out. You are exactly right. Didn't realize someone might misread that.

[multifinder]

Apple just posted a new version of Safari that's "recommended for all Safari users"...maybe this fixes the problem...