Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Firefox 1.5.0.2 is a Universal Binary
- Thread starter bousozoku
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
RE: Browser Wars
Personally, I'm over the moon we're even having this debate over browsers available for OS X!
Any other long-time OS X users who remember the pain of the 10.0.x-10.2 years?
We had a Carbon (and I mean old-school Carbon... no anti-aliasing, no Services, no long filenames) version of IE, a hellish build of Mozilla and iCab. Camino was a glimpse into what could be. Browsing the web back then was ... errr... interesting.
Now, we've got the pick of some of the best browsers on any platform. Rock on, Firefox, Safari, Camino, Opera, and the WebKit based Shiira and iCab!
Personally, I'm over the moon we're even having this debate over browsers available for OS X!
Any other long-time OS X users who remember the pain of the 10.0.x-10.2 years?
We had a Carbon (and I mean old-school Carbon... no anti-aliasing, no Services, no long filenames) version of IE, a hellish build of Mozilla and iCab. Camino was a glimpse into what could be. Browsing the web back then was ... errr... interesting.
Now, we've got the pick of some of the best browsers on any platform. Rock on, Firefox, Safari, Camino, Opera, and the WebKit based Shiira and iCab!
Firefox Intel is nice and much faster than the PPC version. I was using the Mactel Firefox (Deer Park) build for about a week on my MBP, but I just donwloaded the Universal App and everything is nice and quick... no complaints here. 
displaced said:
Yes, and iCab is still stuck in that time for some reason. It never had as many features and it looked ugly. Cheers to Mozilla (Camino, FireFox) and Safari for saving us
bousozoku said:
Try the firefox tweak out ... it worked for me but the tweak notes say it may or may not help.
http://tech.cybernetnews.com/2006/03/26/this-may-help-your-firefox-memory-leak/
if everything that goes universal exhibits a speed improvement like firefox did when it went universal, then all of us intel users are in for a treat!
i went from a 10-second cold startup to roughly 3 seconds... and the browser performance is better than it ever was!
i went from a 10-second cold startup to roughly 3 seconds... and the browser performance is better than it ever was!
Great stuff but still some bugs
I love firefox. Great stuff, but the generic view source screen has not worked for quite some time. If you view source, scroll down, then try to scroll back up, it just builds up on the top of the window, like it is not refreshing or something.
I love firefox. Great stuff, but the generic view source screen has not worked for quite some time. If you view source, scroll down, then try to scroll back up, it just builds up on the top of the window, like it is not refreshing or something.
steelphantom said:I didn't really have any specific problems with Safari, but decided to try Camino out for a little while. That was about 4 months ago, and I haven't touched Safari since.
I discovered Camino about 2 month ago and I have not used Safari since. It supports tabbed browsing too. Don't get me wrong. I like Safari, but I have never gotten used to the way it tabs through web pages. For a simple example, my home page is Google. I am used to typing something in for search and hitting the tab button twice for the "I'm feeling lucky" button then hitting enter. With Safari tabbing, it takes me to the address bar never goes to either of the buttons on Google and then I have to use the mouse.
Camino doesn't do funky things like that.
Real Player and Firefox
I really like Firefox, but currently use it to watch the news via Real Player which is only possible by running Firefox with Rosetta. Real seems to have no comments whatsoever on when it will release the media player as a universal binary. I wish it would come out tomorrow and I can start enjoying the new Firefox release natively.
I really like Firefox, but currently use it to watch the news via Real Player which is only possible by running Firefox with Rosetta. Real seems to have no comments whatsoever on when it will release the media player as a universal binary. I wish it would come out tomorrow and I can start enjoying the new Firefox release natively.
Anothet Camino+Camitools convert here. Safari doesn't get a look in on my iBook or iMac and now neither does FF after I discovered Camitools - spoofs Camino as FF (or IE etc) and the banking site works fine!!
A very fast browser with excellent OS X feel and integration whose feature list gets better as it matures.
A very fast browser with excellent OS X feel and integration whose feature list gets better as it matures.
Just to throw in a spicy meatball...
Why Firefox can't beat Safari -
1) Faster? Umm, yeah, no, kinda, not really. I have a 100mbps connection and all that, and really, that seems to depend on what you mean by fast. If you want pages loading overall faster, don't use Firefox - use Opera. Or, try it out, like I did. There are also some freeware things designed to beef up Safari, disabling the page display lag and what not, if you are a Safari person.
2) Possibly the biggest reason : INTERFACE. I've heard it said all sorts of ways, like "[insert any browser (even IE!)] is the best for its interface..." and such. There's one thing Firefox diehards will have to admit - its interface sticks out for being Windowsy. Sure, you can customize it, but that junky look never fully goes away. But I'm not just talking looks - there are some totally wasted spaces in Firefox; Safari doesn't slash huge bars and small packets of empty space around for fun. On this one you kinda either agree with me or you don't.
3) Features. This is honestly the main reason I use Safari. In fact, it is so important to me that I loaded several freeware apps to enhance Safari to the point that it can block all ads (without me telling it to allow/deny), block anything else I want blocked, show screenshots as thumbnails in a sidebar, and many more, unfortunately at the expense of reliability. Sometimes, in fact, Safari just disappears instantly, as if someone pulled the plug. This never happened before all those freewares. I didn't have a powerful browser until all those freeware apps either, though.
For speed, go with Opera. For features, Safari. Interface? Safari. Security? Macs should be fine, but Safari is ok. Features that don't work? Shiira. Like to flirt with mediocrity? Internet Explorer. Reliability? Safari - without all the enhancers that make it drop dead periodically in return for features.
Firefox, however, loses in every division except perhaps customizability, if that is important. Opera is faster, and Safari can be enhanced beyond belief.
Why Firefox can't beat Safari -
1) Faster? Umm, yeah, no, kinda, not really. I have a 100mbps connection and all that, and really, that seems to depend on what you mean by fast. If you want pages loading overall faster, don't use Firefox - use Opera. Or, try it out, like I did. There are also some freeware things designed to beef up Safari, disabling the page display lag and what not, if you are a Safari person.
2) Possibly the biggest reason : INTERFACE. I've heard it said all sorts of ways, like "[insert any browser (even IE!)] is the best for its interface..." and such. There's one thing Firefox diehards will have to admit - its interface sticks out for being Windowsy. Sure, you can customize it, but that junky look never fully goes away. But I'm not just talking looks - there are some totally wasted spaces in Firefox; Safari doesn't slash huge bars and small packets of empty space around for fun. On this one you kinda either agree with me or you don't.
3) Features. This is honestly the main reason I use Safari. In fact, it is so important to me that I loaded several freeware apps to enhance Safari to the point that it can block all ads (without me telling it to allow/deny), block anything else I want blocked, show screenshots as thumbnails in a sidebar, and many more, unfortunately at the expense of reliability. Sometimes, in fact, Safari just disappears instantly, as if someone pulled the plug. This never happened before all those freewares. I didn't have a powerful browser until all those freeware apps either, though.
For speed, go with Opera. For features, Safari. Interface? Safari. Security? Macs should be fine, but Safari is ok. Features that don't work? Shiira. Like to flirt with mediocrity? Internet Explorer. Reliability? Safari - without all the enhancers that make it drop dead periodically in return for features.
Firefox, however, loses in every division except perhaps customizability, if that is important. Opera is faster, and Safari can be enhanced beyond belief.
Try Vienna, or if you want it "built-in": Sage. Just started using sage and even though I'm not quite ready to ditch Vienna just yet, I'm considering it...Sirin said:I'm staying with Safari. Why? RSS.
You can even make your own css files to make it look as you want...
I'm still working on this style sheet (
):Attachments
(L) said:
Why Firefox can't beat Safari -
1) Faster? Umm, yeah, no, kinda, not really. I have a 100mbps connection and all that, and really, that seems to depend on what you mean by fast. If you want pages loading overall faster, don't use Firefox - use Opera. Or, try it out, like I did. There are also some freeware things designed to beef up Safari, disabling the page display lag and what not, if you are a Safari person.
2) Possibly the biggest reason : INTERFACE. I've heard it said all sorts of ways, like "[insert any browser (even IE!)] is the best for its interface..." and such. There's one thing Firefox diehards will have to admit - its interface sticks out for being Windowsy. Sure, you can customize it, but that junky look never fully goes away. But I'm not just talking looks - there are some totally wasted spaces in Firefox; Safari doesn't slash huge bars and small packets of empty space around for fun. On this one you kinda either agree with me or you don't.
3) Features. This is honestly the main reason I use Safari. In fact, it is so important to me that I loaded several freeware apps to enhance Safari to the point that it can block all ads (without me telling it to allow/deny), block anything else I want blocked, show screenshots as thumbnails in a sidebar, and many more, unfortunately at the expense of reliability. Sometimes, in fact, Safari just disappears instantly, as if someone pulled the plug. This never happened before all those freewares. I didn't have a powerful browser until all those freeware apps either, though.
For speed, go with Opera. For features, Safari. Interface? Safari. Security? Macs should be fine, but Safari is ok. Features that don't work? Shiira. Like to flirt with mediocrity? Internet Explorer. Reliability? Safari - without all the enhancers that make it drop dead periodically in return for features.
Firefox, however, loses in every division except perhaps customizability, if that is important. Opera is faster, and Safari can be enhanced beyond belief.
Definitely respect your opinion here, but here's mine:
1. Firefox is universal. Not, universal as in "Universal Binary," but universal as in multi-platform. It's the same on the PC; it's the same on the Mac, and it's the same on Linux. Since I use all three, there is absolutely no comparison here.
2. Extensions. Sure, Safari has a lot of "plug-ins" and scripts, etc, but it does not even come close to firefox's extensions. Adblock on Safari is good, but it doesn't close to the "original" Firefox's adblock. Additionally because of Firefox's "universality," nearly all extensions work cross platform. Safari definitely cannot do this.
3. Search Engines. Yeah, you can "add" search engines to Safari, but if you take a look at the list that's available for Firefox it simply doesn't even come close.
4. Open Source. This to me is the biggest plus. There's an enormous devoted community on all fronts: Linux, Windows, and OS X that supports this amazing browser.
In the end it comes down to personal taste. I definitely agree with you that Firefox isn't very "Mac-like," but for me the plusses far outweigh this issue. I simply cannot live without this browser. For me, being a multi-platform user, Firefox brings me back to sanity. It's something consistent in the three (very different) OS environments. You can't get that with Safari.
w00master
If you want Firefox to be Mac like just go to http://takebacktheweb.org and skin it with one of the many Safari skins. The look of Firefox is a moot point because you can make it look like anything you want.
On the speed issue. Try comparing Safari rendering pages on a wireless connection vs. Firefox. Firefox wins hands down.
On the speed issue. Try comparing Safari rendering pages on a wireless connection vs. Firefox. Firefox wins hands down.
I tried the new FF and I am still having the same problem I am having on ALL OS X browsers I have tried: (Safari, FF, Camino, Shiira).
It is rather specific, but I think it probably has more broad implications...
I play a lot of poker on pacifcpoker. Their Java based poker site works fine to load up in Safair, FF and Shiira but doesn't even Load in Camino.
But then while playing on a table and then going back to the lobby the java gets all messed up.
Then in all 3 browsers after switching between tables and lobbys I will get the spinning wheel.
Anyone know whats causing this?
Or know why I can't get pacific to load in Camino past 75% with the Java?
THanks
It is rather specific, but I think it probably has more broad implications...
I play a lot of poker on pacifcpoker. Their Java based poker site works fine to load up in Safair, FF and Shiira but doesn't even Load in Camino.
But then while playing on a table and then going back to the lobby the java gets all messed up.
Then in all 3 browsers after switching between tables and lobbys I will get the spinning wheel.
Anyone know whats causing this?
Or know why I can't get pacific to load in Camino past 75% with the Java?
THanks
I always thought I only needed Firefox and it was my browser of choice, but I just tried Camino and it's way faster than Firefox. Camino is my new favorite
I don't have Flash on any of my systems, and they work fine.Leondunkleyc said:
Just get rid of Flash... The problem isn't your browser, it's Macromedia.
Try Flasblock and/or Adblock. Used Adblock to get rid of those annoying flash ads for a while (just those, actually, I don't mind gifs or text), just started using Flashblock, too, and that seems even easier than Adblock. Keeping both for now, though, but Flashblock alone might be enough for your (and my) needs, I think...Leondunkleyc said: