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Safari is biased towards American users

G

goodmacman

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 2, 2006
18
0
Apple refuse to create an option to change the search engine that powers safari. They also refuse to internationalize it. I have asked on 5 occasions through bug reports and feature requests that I be able to get my search box to work through google uk. I really would expect better from apple. I'm calling for a protest. Vote with our feet. Lets all move to firefox until they give us the features we want.

Apple have ostricised their non US customers. I'm not happy:mad:
 
I installed acidsearch
it lets me use international googles if I want..
 

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Acid search is awesome

Ok so I've tried acid search and I'm incredibly impressed. The question on my mind though is why haven't Apple done this. Part of me still doesn't want to use safari on principal. I think that it is blatently easier and quicker than firefox though. Hard choice.
 
goodmacman said:
Ok so I've tried acid search and I'm incredibly impressed. The question on my mind though is why haven't Apple done this. Part of me still doesn't want to use safari on principal. I think that it is blatently easier and quicker than firefox though. Hard choice.
Click to expand...

OK, you have a program that fixes the problem you had. Don't worry about the principal, it works now doesn't it? Just use it.
 
Something that annoyed me with the release of Safari 2 was the inability to remove the search box. I never used it in 1 (because I prefer to use Google NZ) but now in 2 I can't even get rid of it! Although I'm sure there's a plugin to get rid of it (AcidSearch may do this), I'm paranoid of an update breaking something.
 
Applespider said:
You hate it, I love it.

I hate being auto-redirected to Google UK when I've typed in google.com. If I want UK specific responses, I'll put UK in the search terms. Generally, I don't.
Click to expand...


Bah! Same here. At least the UK is a significant size. Google Australia only searches about three different sites. :(
 
Why are you fussed to have it in British English when you spell 'internationalize' the American way?
 
http://www.inquisitorx.com/safari/

perhaps the most useful programme i've ever had. for safari + camino. localised to whichever search engine you want.

http://www.inquisitorx.com/

does live searches like this but in any browser. it's good when your limited to windows by the company you're working for.

;)

oh, and safari's default google search always goes to Google UK. it's IP based redirection - if you're not getting that are you using a proxy or summat in the states?
 
howesey said:
Why are you fussed to have it in British English when you spell 'internationalize' the American way?
Click to expand...

I spell like that because I programmed computers for a long time and yet again I'm stung. It is not of course an america v england thing it is an important functionality issue.
 
goodmacman said:
It is not of course an america v england thing it is an important functionality issue.
Click to expand...

Again, speak for yourself... I'm bugged more by redirections assuming I want Google UK. And it would be a British rather than an English thing since the UK is more than just England.

bigandy said:
oh, and safari's default google search always goes to Google UK. it's IP based redirection - if you're not getting that are you using a proxy or summat in the states?
Click to expand...

Nope, UK ISP - and UK enough that the BBC are quite happy to stream to my IP address but Google stays international if I start using it via the Google box in Safari which is how I like it. It's only if I type Google.com into the address bar, that it redirects to google.co.uk and bugs me. If I want the UK version, I'll ask for it.
 
If AcidSearch works for you, why not use it? It's careless on Apple's part to not make it be international, but it's not like they hate the UK or something.... they just don't feel like changing the search box to do that is a priority.
 
Wait...

Um, isn't Apple an American company? Is the UK rather small in comparison?

And aren't there a slew of OTHER web browser choices out there?
 
Last I checked, Apple was founded and is based in the US. So if you don't like being in the uk, give uncle sam a call and come on over!
-dsm
 
Yeah...

DMPDX said:
Last I checked, Apple was founded and is based in the US. So if you don't like being in the uk, give uncle sam a call and come on over!
-dsm
Click to expand...

Ouch.

But seriously, Steve Jobs told me this was revenge for the whole tea incident from a few years back. And the fact your currency is worth more than ours. And because he can't STAND the way kids with English accents sound.
 
Guys, this is getting close to a personal attack on non-Americans owning Macs and expecting a service.

Yes, Apple is a US company but they trade internationally and should cater to all their markets if they want to sell in each country. It's irritating enough that several of their 'selling points' don't work outside the US - TV shows, the iTMS and iPhoto services still aren't in every country and international shipping is a disgrace.

To me, google.com is international so I'm not bothered that it doesn't pick up my IP address and redirect me.
 
Applespider said:
Guys, this is getting close to a personal attack on non-Americans owning Macs and expecting a service.
Click to expand...

Well, it IS nearly Independence Day over here...

On a more serious note, I would say that the TV Shows and ITMS issues have MUCH more to do with licensing rather than Apple not catering to other countries (but I do agree, it would bug me too) but I also concur that google is an international search engine (as much as it can be, I suppose) so I guess I don't get the point made by the original poster.

I mean, what would google.co.uk show that google.com doesn't?
 
appleretailguy said:
I mean, what would google.co.uk show that google.com doesn't?
Click to expand...

i think it just order things differently... so if you say search for a town like... (last one i did) colchester, google uk should come up with colochester, uk first rahter than the n. american version... or a online retailer will come up with UK ads (not always) rather than urm us ones. i am not sure how it thinks though but the results do mostly come up differently (same stuff, more UK orientated).

now we just need our computers to read minds so it knows what we want instinctively. then we can bring on subliminal messages. then the US gov. can make us do whatever they want.
 
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