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Mac Browser Showdown - 5/1/08

geek-inthe-pink

geek-inthe-pink

macrumors member
Original poster
Okay, I just know some forum administrator is going to kill me for this, but... MAC BROWSER SHOWDOWN!!! Yeah!! (ZOMG this is gonna get so many posts). I think this should be re-started every couple of new browser releases so that the features/opinions/arguments are up to date.

Firstly, I don't just want to see three word posts like "[insert browser] kicks ***", OK? Let's tone down the language, try to be precise and please only discuss browser versions released to the general public at this time (so no alphas, no betas unless relevant, e.g. Safari 3.1 beta). If you believe the beta is relevant, give a reason. So for the Safari 3.1 beta example, a well worded statement might be, 'included with Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) update 10.5.2'. Also, please let's keep to this list of browsers (I think I actually got them all - or at least the major ones):

Firefox (please no beta 3 posts, except for clevin🙂 (just watch he'll attack this thread))
Camino
Opera
Sunrise Browser
Shiira
Safari (WebKit in itself is NOT a web browser)
IE 5 / Mac
SeaMonkey
Demeter
Flock
iCab
OmniWeb
BumperCar
Netscape
AOL Web Browser (beta; relevancy: for AOL internet subscribers)
MSN / Mac
Dillo
Daydreamer
Amaya
Kaleidoscope (version .9, but stable; released only on invite)

Alright, so include what is your MAIN WEB BROWSER (and why), what is your BACKUP WEB BROWSER (and why), which browser in your opinion is the FASTEST (and why)! There's no reason in posting if you don't say why!

Kill yourselves:
READY...
SET...
POST!😀

I shall go first...

Okay. I use Safari, my backup browser is Firefox, and I think Safari is by far the fastest and most standards compliant browser out there. If you don't think so, I'm open to be convinced otherwise! (I'm especially fond of other WebKit based browsers).

Your turn!
 
safari is a very fast browser for Mac OSX, but i use firefox because i use many extensions that i need to use and i love to sync my bookmarks to my PC with firefox, and the extension foxmarks
 
Yes, I have to agree extensions are useful, but I don't ever use them I'm so busy...😛 Firefox is indeed a good browser.

clevin said:
Epiphany has a Mac version? since when?
Isn't "fast" supposed to be a objective measurement? why you need to answer "why"?😀

hey, Im attacking your thread...🙂 just to point out the problems.
Click to expand...

Thanks, clevin! I've just removed Epiphany! (sorry guys, my mistake). But clevin, you forgot to say what your fav browser is!
 
Safari 3.1 is my choice from the list above. Webkit is my default browser but I understand that Safari 3.1 is Webkit from 5 weeks ago.
 
ntrigue said:
Safari 3.1 is my choice from the list above. Webkit is my default browser but I understand that Safari 3.1 is Webkit from 5 weeks ago.
Click to expand...

Yes, it is. WebKit is mine as well, but WebKit is not a browser. it's like a rendering engine, hence....
 
geek-inthe-pink said:
Thanks, clevin! I've just removed Epiphany! (sorry guys, my mistake). But clevin, you forgot to say what your fav browser is!
Click to expand...

Sigh, Ok, My fav is

FFFFFFFFirefox. 3
Reason: 3.0 is fast, great out of box functions, single window mode, multiple username/password for same website, allow download easily goes to appointed folders, great download manager, easy search engine management, great drag and drop of webpage elements, superb fullpage zoom, much enhanced security, much better memory management, much better password manager, awesome bar, etc.......of course, extensions, adblock+, fireguestures, del.iceo.us, full map, etc etc.

Just check my Signature for all the goodies 😀

I also have
Firefox 2
Netscape 9
Safari 3.1
Opera 9.5
Camino 1.6
Camino 2.0a
Chesire
icab4
omniweb 5.5
shiira
songbird
thunderbird
prism
 
clevin said:
Sigh, Ok, My fav is

FFFFFFFFirefox. 3

I also have
Firefox 2
Netscape 9
Safari 3.1
Opera 9.5
Camino 1.6
Camino 2.0a
Chesire
icab4
omniweb 5.5
shiira
songbird
thunderbird
prism
Click to expand...

Wow! What's Chesire? And Prism? I'll go research, and add those to the list if they are indeed browsers.
 
geek-inthe-pink said:
Wow! What's Chesire? And Prism? I'll go research, and add those to the list if they are indeed browsers.
Click to expand...

ah, sorry, there was a typo
Cheshire, is AOL beta browser I download long time ago, its a webkit based browser.

Prism, is a site-specific browser, based on Gecko, probably not a full featured browser.
 
I'm a Firefox user myself, because of the extensions. I find it hard not to like Shiira and SunriseBrowser though. They offer some unique features Safari doesn't.
 
safari 3.1.1 it has a nice clean interface and its fast, works great for me. I've never experienced any of the problems that some users have faced with safari except..... i play fox sports fantasy baseball and for some odd reason safari does not display my roster page so i was forced to download firefox but thats the only thing i use it for, as i find it really slow and dont really like the interface plus its the only application where i constantly see the beach ball on my computer.
 
bigjnyc said:
safari 3.1.1 it has a nice clean interface and its fast, works great for me. I've never experienced any of the problems that some users have faced with safari except..... i play fox sports fantasy baseball and for some odd reason safari does not display my roster page so i was forced to download firefox but thats the only thing i use it for, as i find it really slow and dont really like the interface plus its the only application where i constantly see the beach ball on my computer.
Click to expand...
I agree with you about the default Firefox interface - it's not all that nice looking. However, Firefox has theme support, so you can change that. I suggest looking into one of the Mac OS X like Firefox themes.

As for the beach ball, I've never had that issue with Firefox (or Safari, for that matter). I'm not sure what might be causing it in your specific case.
 
bigjnyc said:
as i find it really slow and dont really like the interface plus its the only application where i constantly see the beach ball on my computer.
Click to expand...

I think you could try out firefox 3, even as your backup. The release candidate will be out very soon.

picture1ws5.png
 
clevin said:
I think you could try out firefox 3, even as your backup. The release candidate will be out very soon.
(image removed from quote to save bandwidth)
Click to expand...
I would like to use Firefox 3 very much, but beta 4 was far too unstable for my liking (it crashed 7 times in 2 days). Also, Firefox 3 beta 4 and Greasemonkey don't get along, for some reason. I think I'll just wait until the final release is ready.
 
wrldwzrd89 said:
I would like to use Firefox 3 very much, but beta 4 was far too unstable for my liking (it crashed 7 times in 2 days). Also, Firefox 3 beta 4 and Greasemonkey don't get along, for some reason. I think I'll just wait until the final release is ready.
Click to expand...
Gotcha🙂

RC1 should be out very soon, final is probably still targeting June.

However, from ver 2 to ver 3 is a big jump, with many extensions have gone through deep re-written. Mostly, update should work, in case it doesn't. A new profile might be necessary.
 
I like Firefox but hate Firefox users. The majority of them seem to have an inability to stop whining about how great Firefox is. Same with mac users really.

I use Safari.
 
Longtime Opera user here, but I have to say I'm disappointed with the OS X version- it seems to be the Windows version's poor relation 🙁

There are several simple features from the Windows version that are missing from the OS X Opera.

Minimise tabs, the Content filter doesn't always work and I simply hate the way that if you close the last active tab, instead of going to Speed Dial it hides the whole program.

Here's hoping that the next update addresses some of these issues.
 
Eraserhead said:
Safari gets a far higher Acid3 score, the latest Opera snapshot is three points ahead of the latest Safari release, but still the final version is far behind.
Click to expand...
Its probably not accurate to equal acid3 score to the degree of standard compliance.

Safari did quite a few partial implementation of many standards just for the acid test. Its very difficult to take those as an indication of really meaningful standard compliance, since developers can't be sure how to use it anyway.

Also Acid 3 includes some since been modified, or abolished standard as well.

I didn't see either opera nor firefox taking this type of "quick road" just to increase scores.

There are some comparisons on wikipedia, you might check them out if you like 🙂

Safari is a highly standard compliant browser, thats for sure.
 
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