Why Are Mac Browsers So Bad w/Animation?

Discussion in 'Mac Apps and Mac App Store' started by HiRez, Feb 12, 2006.

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  1. HiRez, Feb 12, 2006

    HiRez macrumors 603

    HiRez

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    Jan 6, 2004
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    Western US
    #1
    Almost any page I open in Safari that has any kind of movement (Flash, animated GIF ads, etc.) will invariably wind up the fans on my dual G5 to jet engine levels, using anywhere from 15%-50% of the CPU cycles. WTF? This happens in Safari, and is usually even worse in Firefox. No way I'm buying that a simple, small, animated GIF that's changing perhaps 2-10 times per second should require that kind of CPU. This seems like some kind of fundamental OS/API bug (perhaps in Quartz, WebKit, or khtml?) that's been that way as long as I can remember in OS X. I always thought it was an early problem that would improve in time, but it never seems to. The longer Safari stays open, the more severe the problem seems to get, as well (and it tends to get more sluggish). I often have to quit Safari and relaunch it to calm it back down.
     
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  2. California, Feb 12, 2006

    California macrumors 68040

    California

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    #2
    I empty the Safari cache like twenty times a day.
     
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  3. x86isslow, Feb 12, 2006

    x86isslow macrumors 6502a

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    #3
    Hm, you mention Mac browsers, but from the sounds of it, you've only really used Safari and Firefox.

    Mozilla Camino might just be what the doctor ordered.
     
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  4. frankblundt, Feb 12, 2006

    frankblundt macrumors 65816

    frankblundt

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    #4
    It sounds to me like a deeper issue than the browser - i've run Safari (and all manner of other things) on a B&W350 an iMac 400 and a 1.25 mini, for days on end, with no slowdown or other issues. (the B&W always sounds like a jet engine :) )
    If you download the flash files do you have the same issue with the Flash Player?
     
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  5. tjwett, Feb 13, 2006

    tjwett macrumors 68000

    tjwett

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    Location:
    Brooklyn, NYC
    #5
    can't say why for animated GIFs but as far as Flash goes; it's not the browser, it's the Flash plugin. it, like all Macromedia software, is a crappy port of the Windows version. it has never been decent on the Mac, probably never will be.
     
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  6. radiantm3, Feb 13, 2006

    radiantm3 macrumors 65816

    radiantm3

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    #6
    Lets hope things get better on the mac with adobe.
     
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  7. decksnap, Feb 13, 2006

    decksnap macrumors 68040

    decksnap

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    #7
    Flash playback on the Mac has always been second-class. One of my biggest peeves for a long time now.
     
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