Safari 3.0.4 Beta for Windows

[mozmac]

I don't know a single person (outside these forums) who uses Safari for Windows. Most seem to go 'oh look there's a browser from Apple - install, try, uninstall'.

I am a forum user, yes, but I actually used Safari on Windows as my main browser for the past summer. My wife and I shared a laptop and both have Gmail accounts. So, she used Firefox and I used Safari so that we wouldn't have to keep logging in and out to check our email. I didn't mind Safari too much, but I still choose Firefox over it.

I'm writing this post beta 3.0.4 right now. They've brought over some much needed shortcuts (like Ctrl - Tab to switch between tabs. THANK YOU! The other way was a joke!) Safari still has a long way to go if it wants to be my main browser. The look is too dark and the interface is clunky.

 

[boss1]

Safari isn't that much better or worst then FireFox on windows. The difference is Apple hasn't created a Safari buzz for windows so it isn't downloaded by the masses.


And even if that happens it won't be downloaded by 70something % of the population who own computers because the masses scratch their heads at anything outside IE.

sad, just the way it is though

 

[samh004]

Safari still has a long way to go if it wants to be my main browser. The look is too dark and the interface is clunky.

Submit a bug report to tell them what needs to be done.

And even if that happens it won't be downloaded by 70something % of the population who own computers because the masses scratch their heads at anything outside IE.

Perhaps they should bundle it with iTunes and Quicktime downloads. I was almost going to say with the iTunes discs that come with iPod's, but that ended a long time ago

 

[VforVelveta]

glad that they got the final for Tiger, and that they are still improving the windows version. now if only i could install it here at work....

Safari's actually the only browswer outside of IE that my IT dept. doesn't seem to uninstall overnight. The only problem was, up until now, there was still no Gmail chat, but now even that's changed.

For now, its so long IE until IT finds Safari.

 

[balahir]

Is it just mee who thinks that Safari is the most ugly browser in the Universe? In response to an earlier post, I think Camino is much better looking, has about equal functionality to Safari and still better performance.

 

[TheSpecialist]

Ok time I can test this build.

First thing I notice is that the looks have changed, from this:

http://www.sephiroth.it/weblog/archives/images/safari_windows.png

To the Leopard buttons. Bookmark menu updated, looks good. Alot of new shortcuts which is very good, like CTRL-TAB for tab switching and shortcuts for selecting web field/adress bar, search field. It looks very good, and it is very stable hasn't crashed 1 time since this build. Also very speedy!

Conclusion, this build is very good and Apple has done a superb job on this, and I thank for devoloping on Windows. I wonder when it leaves Beta, it looks finished now.

 

[nickelcokes]

Can anybody compare Safari with Camino? Which would you use and why?

I used Camino in Tiger, but I switched in Leopard. Not because Safari is so much better, mind you, but for four specific reasons:

1. In Camino, you switch tabs using Command-Option-<arrows>, while in Safari and Terminal, you switch tabs with Command-{ or Command-}. Since Terminal and the browser are my two most-frequently-used applications, I like the shortcuts to agree.

2. Camino downloads everything, including PDFs. I like how Safari opens the PDF in its window.

3. The new highlighting in Safari search makes it really easy to find things. Plus, it just looks good.

4. The tabs in Camino are still Tiger-gray. It's petty, but it just doesn't look right with the new window coloring.

Things I sorely miss from Camino:

1. Keyword bookmarks: I can type "google <phrase>" for a Google search, "wiki <article>" for a Wikipedia article, "weather <zip code>" for weather in a given zip code, and much more. Why can't Safari give me this?

2. Link search-and-select: I can just start typing text, and Camino will select links that match the text. Hitting Return follows the link that is selected. I don't need a mouse to follow hyperlinks! I wish Safari would offer this option.

3. Inline search: Safari's Command-f doesn't take much more effort, but you start a Camino text search with "/". This agrees with searching in vim and less, so it's familiar.

 

[nickelcokes]

Is it just mee who thinks that Safari is the most ugly browser in the Universe? In response to an earlier post, I think Camino is much better looking, has about equal functionality to Safari and still better performance.

The Tiger appearance was definitely rapped several times with the ugly stick. To brushed metal, I say, "I'm glad you're dead! Ha ha ha!" (Let's see if anybody gets that...) However, I think it looks good in Leopard. Another nice feature is the gray buttons; when you switch applications, the new Safari looks completely washed out. There's no confusion that you are no longer working in Safari.

 

[nickelcokes]

Safari's actually the only browswer outside of IE that my IT dept. doesn't seem to uninstall overnight. The only problem was, up until now, there was still no Gmail chat, but now even that's changed.

For now, its so long IE until IT finds Safari.

What a bunch of asses! There's nothing worse than an IT department that fails to realize they are SUPPORT staff. Networks do not exist for the sake of existence, they exist for the sake of the users!

 

[walnuts]

In response to Safari vs. Camino on a Mac- I'm a Camino user- its blazingly fast on my iMac. I do think its annoying that the pdf's won't load in the browser.

On my work computer, I've downloaded Safari and have been using it for a while. Its not for any good reason; perhaps I just like the look. I do find it lacking in features/ there's a bug or two that bothers me vs. firefox that I used before. Specifically, I can't figure out how to lock it into one window- I want each link to automatically open in a new tab, not a new window. Also, I find google maps to scroll oddly with the mouse wheel. The scrolling will work, but it takes a moment for the screen to refresh making it very difficult to control.

It seems to me that the font smoothing is slightly different in 3.0.4- anyone else notice this>

 

[eenu]

What's their goal? It's all because of the iPhone and browser-based apps.

Ummm a bit but not really. Its all for switchers. You can use Safari and iTunes, then you can sure as hell use a Mac. They even say that on the website. When i went for my Apple interview it was clear they are hunting down switchers and want to make it so Windows peeps feel like they already know Apple and the Mac Interface before they even switch.

 

[rosalindavenue]

The first beta version broke Yahoo Widgets on my XP Pro setup at work. (Yahoo bought Konfabulator after it expanded into windows; I like to have the weather widget up). So I have not tried it again.

More importantly, I probably would not use Safari anyway (just like I rarely use it on my Mac at home) because of my love for firefox add-ons-- in particular, adblock pro and tiny url creator. To the extent I use other browers it is generally via the "open in IE" or "open in Safari" firefox ad-ons. Firefox ad-ons are the killer app of web browsing.

 

[pomus]

I don't know a single person (outside these forums) who uses Safari for Windows. Most seem to go 'oh look there's a browser from Apple - install, try, uninstall'.

haha, I actually do that with ie7: install, try, uninstall. The problem with uninstall is that as I uninstalled ie7, it erased something in my system, which meant that I had to reboot .

 

[walnuts]

Things I sorely miss from Camino:

1. Keyword bookmarks: I can type "google <phrase>" for a Google search, "wiki <article>" for a Wikipedia article, "weather <zip code>" for weather in a given zip code, and much more. Why can't Safari give me this?

You know, strangely enough, on windows, I found a workaround for this. First, I had transferred my bookmarks from firefox, where I had already made several keyword searches. Second, I use launchy, a launching program for windows. Strangely enough, while the keyword searches don't work in safari, they do work through launchy to safari.

So, back to the mac, I think you could make keywork searches using quicksilver, and have them work in safari, though I haven't tried with safari (it works in camino though)

 

[roland.g]

Does the Safari for Windows update fix the lack of scroll wheel support in Safari and the issue with minimizing a maximized window?

 

[ditzy]

I find safari on windows to be really slow. I love the way it looks but that's the only thing i like about it.

 

[Avatar74]

This is actually pretty hilarious. Safari on XP looks and feels better than XP. Brilliant marketing tool to bring people away from the DarkSide. It makes Microsoft look pretty bad when applications designed by Apple working within their own operating system look this good. It immediately begs the question, "Why can't the rest of Windows look like this?"

I always marvel at how after 8+ hours a day of using Win XP at work my eyes feel like they've been assaulted by razor blades... but I could use OS X nonstop for hours on end. There's something to be said for productivity with an OS that's easier on the eyes as well as more intuitively functional.

Users spend more time being pissed off at Windows and less time getting actual work done, wheras OS X feels quite comfortable... Heh, just now the idiotically placed fourth mouse button on this HP Compaq Evo n610c, which is a backup machine while my HP nc8000 gets its logic board replaced (the fifth or sixth repair/reimage/replacement and second or third laptop I've gone through in two years at my office).... the mouse button got in the way causing a contextual menu to pop up (as it does every few seconds) unintentionally.

Speaking... argh, there it goes again... See what I mean?

 

[boss1]

I really don't understand why apple is wasting their time developing safari for windows...whats their goal?

Windows users already have firefox and IE7, both decent browsers, there's no need for safari...

Why does Lexus bother making cars? Cadillac and Mercedez are already good cars!..theres no need for Lexus! /silly



As far as what their goal is. well you can slice it up into many things, switchers, iPhone, developers etc. However the over all goal will always be 'To sell more hardware & software'

 

[rijiMacDij]

I find safari on windows to be really slow. I love the way it looks but that's the only thing i like about it.

Get a Mac!

 

[Can]

Apple has actually done it with this update.

The last versions have been very buggy. With this version however things seem to be displayed right, pages load fast and it actually serve some basic functions such as spellchecking etc.

I have been using FireFox with a few plugins as my main windows browser so far, and I won't change that fact yet. I personally need a few extra handy web-developer tools so I can use the browser as a working tool and not just a browser.


However with this new version Safari on windows makes a huge leap towards FireFox and Opera that is currently the top two browsers for Windows as far as functionality goes.

 

[TheSpecialist]

It just crashed the first time.. damnit.

 

[dernhelm]

It STILL can't deal with the Automatic Configuration script that we have for our firewall here:

http://proxy.mycompany.net:8080/array.dll?Get.Routing.Script

Such a bummer.

 

[morespce54]

It's nice that Apple pushed Safari 3 final to Tiger. I mean it RAN on Tiger so was there a doubt that it wouldn't go final?

It'll be time for Windows too.

I know it's a small thing but I would really appreciated it if the Tiger version had the widget-maker too... oh well...

 

[morespce54]

Does the Safari for Windows update fix the lack of scroll wheel support in Safari and the issue with minimizing a maximized window?

I don't seems to have any problem with the scroll wheel.
I can't remember the previous version look, but this update has the (regular windows) minimize, maximize and close buttons and they act as expected... on a windows software!

So I guess the answer is, yes.

 

[rotlex]

I'd really love to start using this at the office, but I see they still, or now, have the proxy settings tied to your IE settings. Why would they do this? I need two different proxies set - one for office, and one for uh, "a link back to home"

Come on Apple, Mozilla has it's own proxy setup and doesn't really on what IE has set!