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safari or firefox 3?
- Thread starter marcel-v
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Firefox!
I'm a big fan of Firefox as well. Yes, safari may be the "native" cocoa app, but take a look at this memory use comparison.
http://dotnetperls.com/Content/Browser-Memory.aspx
Safari, after a test browser session, had allocated nearly 600% more memory than Firefox. It should be noted that these tests were conducted in windows with Safari 3.1 and may be different when running in OS X.
It all comes down to the plug-ins for me. NoScript and Mouse Gestures are two things I wouldn't like to live without. Plus, Firefox 3 has a more integrated look than 2 when in OS X.
I'm a big fan of Firefox as well. Yes, safari may be the "native" cocoa app, but take a look at this memory use comparison.
http://dotnetperls.com/Content/Browser-Memory.aspx
Safari, after a test browser session, had allocated nearly 600% more memory than Firefox. It should be noted that these tests were conducted in windows with Safari 3.1 and may be different when running in OS X.
It all comes down to the plug-ins for me. NoScript and Mouse Gestures are two things I wouldn't like to live without. Plus, Firefox 3 has a more integrated look than 2 when in OS X.
Then at the risk of stating the obvious, how is a test on the Windows platform useful as an argument in a Mac forum? Besides, for anyone still using Windows, bloat is a foregone conclusion.
There's also this little nugget in the article:
So, how is this data useful as a comparison among web browsers, if we're not supposed to, well, compare them?
FF3 looks and appears to work just fine for me. However, much like Vista, there's a lot of too little, too late going on in my case. I switched to OS X, and even if Vista improved 1000% from what it is now, the window of opportunity for me has passed, and OS X would have to get 1000% worse for me to consider switching back. I don't begrudge Windows, and if if XP or even Vista is all that's around, I'll use it, but I'm happier on a Mac, thanks.
Likewise, I've switched to Safari which to me was a vast improvement over F2, and I am comfortable with it. FF3 is nice but not compelling enough for me to switch back, for now. If I have to use it I will without complaint, but if Safari is available, I'm happier with that.
I used Safari for a bit when I first got my iMac then switched back to FF2. But I wanted to give Safari another shot so instead of upgrading to FF3, I switched back to Safari as my primary browser. This time I think I'll stick to Safari. 
1. you can do comparison of memory management of safari 3 and firefox 3 on mac for yourself tho, its doale.
2. nothing is ever too late, Apple stuck with OS classic for years, and OSX wasn't too late
Change are always welcome, trying out new stuff is always good, no matter what you eventually decide.the only thing i dont like about safari is that it doesn't flash my tabs when i get a new message in GMAIL/Talk and Meebo. (that is the ONLY drawback that i use FF3 instead of Safari. I love the way safari scrolls to death though. FF3's scrolling is horrible.
I would get a message and not realize it until i decided i want to message someone.
I would get a message and not realize it until i decided i want to message someone.
I used FF2 for a while, then reformatted my mac and stuck with Safari.
When FF3 came out I got that and i love it.
Bookmark support is awesome w/ the address bar bookmarking option. The ''awesome bar'' is, well.. pretty awesome. add-ons are great, although i dont use any b/c i got used to living w/o them when i used safari, but the option is nice.
and it launches w/ 1 dock bounce.
When FF3 came out I got that and i love it.
Bookmark support is awesome w/ the address bar bookmarking option. The ''awesome bar'' is, well.. pretty awesome. add-ons are great, although i dont use any b/c i got used to living w/o them when i used safari, but the option is nice.
and it launches w/ 1 dock bounce.
does anyone know if on safari you can do the thing where if it crashes or if you close it it can save your tabs like firefox does?
im not sure but im pretty sure, No. Safari doesnt even have a home button instead a clip button or w.e that is i hate it and dont like how the loading bar is on top err it angers me dunno why the icon is what i like about it .
Perhaps "History > Reopen All Windows From Last Session" is what you're looking for?
You can easily add a Home button to the toolbar. Go to "View > Customize Toolbar..."im not sure but im pretty sure, No. Safari doesnt even have a home button instead a clip button or w.e that is i hate it and dont like how the loading bar is on top err it angers me dunno why the icon is what i like about it .
I use ff2 on my mac and ff3 on my windows.
I have had issues with ff3 bugging out with facebook, so I actually switched to safari to see if it would work better. It did, but then I couldn't hear sound when watching a movie on hulu.
Right now, ff2 is the best browser for me, but I haven't decided to try to go back to it. What I like about ff compared to safari is the fact that I can use my scroll wheel to go through my tabs... I have a lot of tabs open. Generally 10-20+. With safari I have a click down menu to access the ones that I can't see, but I can just scroll through them with firefox, if that makes sense.
Once they get the bugs worked out with ff3, I think I will like it more then safari. But right now, the bugs are really irritating.
I have had issues with ff3 bugging out with facebook, so I actually switched to safari to see if it would work better. It did, but then I couldn't hear sound when watching a movie on hulu.
Right now, ff2 is the best browser for me, but I haven't decided to try to go back to it. What I like about ff compared to safari is the fact that I can use my scroll wheel to go through my tabs... I have a lot of tabs open. Generally 10-20+. With safari I have a click down menu to access the ones that I can't see, but I can just scroll through them with firefox, if that makes sense.
Once they get the bugs worked out with ff3, I think I will like it more then safari. But right now, the bugs are really irritating.
What makes Safari stink with eBay?Sorry apple, but Safari just stinks w/ sites like eBay. I use FF3.
I have tried again and again to switch to Firefox from Safari. But every time I do, I somehow always know that its Firefox... and I just don't get the same streamlined feel I do with Safari.
So I even tried to install a few Firefox plugins when v3.0 came out to give it that Safari look (this is a great post to look at). And that almost, almost worked... but there were just some subtle differences.
Buttons didn't feel the same.
Menus were too choppy looking.
No Inquisitor
And now I'm back on Safari. I admit that Firefox has some very nice options and plugins, I just can't bring myself to stay there. Maybe some day...
So I even tried to install a few Firefox plugins when v3.0 came out to give it that Safari look (this is a great post to look at). And that almost, almost worked... but there were just some subtle differences.
Buttons didn't feel the same.
Menus were too choppy looking.
No Inquisitor
And now I'm back on Safari. I admit that Firefox has some very nice options and plugins, I just can't bring myself to stay there. Maybe some day...
thats fine, you tried, good for you already!
they ARE different, otherwise there will be no reason for both to exist.
I tend to use Safari most of the time. However I switch to firefox from time to time. There is little appreacable difference, that makes one superior to the other. I uses safari most of the time as my bookmarks and RSS feeds are installed on it.
That being said, Some sites will not work with Safari but with Firefox. like some of the new google apps in early beta. Or some other sites mostly because when they check for browser they give you a choice of IE or Firefox and nothing else.
That being said Safari does tend to render a bit faster (for heavy rendering pages)
Also I should bring up Opera. Often Opera will render more like IE which allows more compatability.
I keep the three. I just choose Safari as I had bookmarks there. Then I use the others when it doesn't work.
That being said, Some sites will not work with Safari but with Firefox. like some of the new google apps in early beta. Or some other sites mostly because when they check for browser they give you a choice of IE or Firefox and nothing else.
That being said Safari does tend to render a bit faster (for heavy rendering pages)
Also I should bring up Opera. Often Opera will render more like IE which allows more compatability.
I keep the three. I just choose Safari as I had bookmarks there. Then I use the others when it doesn't work.
I have FF on my G3 and Safari on G4. Both are great, but the FF just seems to work 'better' (smoother/faster) on the G3.
I am a Webkit (Safari) guy myself. I have FireFox 3 installed, and while it is miles ahead of FireFox 2 now, it still can't be compared to Safari / Webkit
Another vote for Safari. It just "belongs" in OSX. Plus it's what the iPhone uses, and I'm a sucker for consistency
The main reason why I go with firefox 2.0 instead of Safari?
In firefox i can see the pictures when i want to edit something... in safari i see a bunch of http://<-----blah blah blah....
Also in ebay when i want to sell something, i put a pic in and all i see is text.... in firefox i see pictures... I find firefox is A LOT MORE COMPATIBLE with web sites and i'm able to see the way it's meant to be seen.
I remember i while back when i updated my mypage, i kept seeing a grey background, but when i switched to firefox, i saw the real background.... Till safari makes a change in this, i'm sticking with firefox. Even though i did notice safari quicker.
In firefox i can see the pictures when i want to edit something... in safari i see a bunch of http://<-----blah blah blah....
Also in ebay when i want to sell something, i put a pic in and all i see is text.... in firefox i see pictures... I find firefox is A LOT MORE COMPATIBLE with web sites and i'm able to see the way it's meant to be seen.
I remember i while back when i updated my mypage, i kept seeing a grey background, but when i switched to firefox, i saw the real background.... Till safari makes a change in this, i'm sticking with firefox. Even though i did notice safari quicker.
depends on what you need.
for OSX integration, you are right
for functionality, security and memory management, its the other way around.