Firefox or Safari?

[GA Russell]

I've been using Firefox for a few years now.

Last week while downloading the updated QuickTime Player, I had the opportunity to download Safari, so I did.

I've got no complaints with Firefox. What's the sales pitch behind Safari? Any reason to choose one over the other?

[tranemonk]

i haven't looked at Safari but I tried Opera, Google Chrome and a few other browsers.. and I keep coming back to Firefox....

[Larry Kart]

Switched from Safari to Firefox. I prefer Firefox. For one thing, on some sites where images exist within blocks of type, the type bleeds over the art on Safari (at least for a day or so) but not on Firefox. Firefox seems quicker too.

[papsrus]

Firefox.

[Chuck Nessa]

yup

One problem with FF - it does not allow opening of PDFs, at least in their Mac version. I have to open Safari to read my electric bill.

Edited August 31, 2010 by Chuck Nessa

[Shawn]

I switched to Google Chrome, it runs faster than either Safari or Firefox on Snow Leopard.

[Chuck Nessa]

it bothered me the way it handled downloads so i left.

[seeline]

Google Chrome, Firefox and Opera.

If Firefox was as fast as Google Chrome, it would be first on my list. I love Firefox, but on my system it can be balky and very slow. (And I don't think it's because of the extensions I use, but maybe I should doublecheck that...)

[7/4]

After years of Firefox, I switched to Chrome in July.

I had problems saving photos from a web page with FF.

[Christiern]

I used Firefox for a brief spell—it worked very well, but when they upgraded Safari, I jumped back. I have both installed, however. I tried Chrome and concluded that it isn't ready for prime time—the ads are better than the product.

[Guest Bill Barton]

FWIW, I haven't tried Safari but switch back and forth between Firefox and Chrome. The latter works better for me with my gmail account and with Facebook. I use Firefox for pretty much everything else. I have a double-boot system now, Ubuntu and Windows 7. Firefox is very fast with Ubuntu.

[Dave Garrett]

yup

One problem with FF - it does not allow opening of PDFs, at least in their Mac version. I have to open Safari to read my electric bill.

I think this is an Adobe Reader issue rather than a FF issue. However:

Firefox PDF Plugin for Mac OS X

[BFrank]

Chrome. It's lightening fast and not loaded down with lots of ......... stuff.

Plus, you can search directly from the address bar.

[Swinger]

I used Firefox for several years but it gradually became too slow to use on my 7 years old computer. I have switched to Chrome and I will not turn back.

[GA Russell]

I don't see a lot of support for Safari! Thanks guys!

[Jazzjet]

I don't see a lot of support for Safari! Thanks guys!

Safari 5 now has an extensions gallery with some fairly neat options, such as one that cleans up the You Tube experience, ie without the page distractions. Safari is a bit plain but does the basics well, as does Chrome which is faster. Firefox quickly gets cluttered and slow in my experience.

[Tim McG]

Microsoft.

[mjzee]

On my Mac, Safari is much slower and flakier than Firefox. It also has problems with Flash; Apple complains that Adobe's code is flawed, but at this point it just sounds like whining. Chrome seems blazingly fast.

[Tim McG]

And Apple sucks.

My concern: Quit being self-serving prima donnas and build an operating system which is ACTUALLY compatible with PCs. Flooding the market with iPod and iPad toys is bullshit.

Grow up, Steve Jobs. Being the software exclusive is childish crap.

Build a computer I can use with my PC software and then, only then, I will be convinced you really give a shit about us consumers.

[Shawn]

And Apple sucks.

My concern: Quit being self-serving prima donnas and build an operating system which is ACTUALLY compatible with PCs. Flooding the market with iPod and iPad toys is bullshit.

Grow up, Steve Jobs. Being the software exclusive is childish crap.

Build a computer I can use with my PC software and then, only then, I will be convinced you really give a shit about us consumers.

The main issue is that the Mac OS is far superior to anything Microsoft has unleashed on us. I used Windows computers for over a decade, I've never been happier since switching to a Mac. Buying a computer where the hardware and software is developed by the same company...what a concept!

Just because Microsoft has a near monopoly on the market doesn't mean they are the best choice.

...plus my iMac runs both Windows & Mac OS X, so it's the smartest choice overall.

Edited September 1, 2010 by Shawn

[papsrus]

And Apple sucks.

My concern: Quit being self-serving prima donnas and build an operating system which is ACTUALLY compatible with PCs. Flooding the market with iPod and iPad toys is bullshit.

Grow up, Steve Jobs. Being the software exclusive is childish crap.

Build a computer I can use with my PC software and then, only then, I will be convinced you really give a shit about us consumers.

I was waiting for someone to mention IE. That thing is without a doubt the biggest, ugliest pig out there. Wouldn't go near it if I didn't have to from time to time at work. Awful shit.

And the Windows platform sucks.

IMHO, YMMV, etc., etc.

[mjzee]

I was waiting for someone to mention IE. That thing is without a doubt the biggest, ugliest pig out there. Wouldn't go near it if I didn't have to from time to time at work. Awful shit.

And the Windows platform sucks.

IMHO, YMMV, etc., etc.

No, that's just accurate.

[mellowT]

I was waiting for someone to mention IE. That thing is without a doubt the biggest, ugliest pig out there. Wouldn't go near it if I didn't have to from time to time at work. Awful shit.

And the Windows platform sucks.

IMHO, YMMV, etc., etc.

No, that's just accurate.

Yes, absolutely. Couldn't agree more.

I'm stuck with Windows at work and only use IE when I absolutely have to, e.g., when some idiot programs something that only works in IE. Firefox all other times.

[Swinging Swede]

Interesting topic.

Safari is Apple's browser for Mac, although it nowadays also exists for Windows.

I have Internet Explorer 8 and Firefox 3.6 and have been using both. FF certainly feels faster than IE. But when it comes to speed, I understand that Google Chrome is supposed to be even faster.

Chrome was first released only 2 years ago and was originally a bare-bones browser, but it is my understanding that it has taken great leaps also in the functionality available. Version 6 was released just two days ago, and inspired by this thread I downloaded it today. I will try it out and see what I think. One thing one notices immediately is that there is more screen space available. Chrome's market share is steadily increasing and is now approaching 10%, so I think it is a player to reckon with.

When it comes to Internet Explorer, there are apparently many companies that are stuck with IE6 solutions, and that version is really outdated and unsafe. I don't think IE8 is so bad though, although I can understand why it has lost market shares to Firefox and Chrome.

But this month the first public beta of Internet Explorer 9 is being released, and it is supposed to be faster and improved in other ways as well. The official version is expected in 2011. And already in November 2010, Firefox 4 is expected to come out, and it is also supposed to be faster and have various improvements. Time is certainly not standing still in browser development, as it more or less was for some years after Internet Explorer had won the browser war against Netscape and had over 90% of the market.

By the way, I remember that when I in the mid-90s for the first time surfed the Internet, it was with Netscape 1.22. Those were the days.

[.:.impossible]

If you are using a recen Mac, and your OS is up to date, I highly recommend Safari. Otherwise, they are all neck and neck in my experience.