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Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

post #1 of 33
3/7/07 at 2:29am
Thread Starter 
I have used and loved FIREFOX for years.

Over the past few weeks I have been slowly migrating over
from everyday Windows apps (such as Outlook) to the Mac
counterparts. My eventual goal is to eliminate using a virtual
Windows on my Mac.

Just wondering if there were any major advantages to using
SAFARI over FIREFOX.
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post #2 of 33
3/7/07 at 10:17am

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

Functionality-wise, none really. I just like the way Safari handles font display a little better.
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post #3 of 33
3/7/07 at 10:32am

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

Quote:
My eventual goal is to eliminate using a virtual Windows on my Mac
that's fine, but what does that have to do with firefox/safari? there is a native mac build of firefox.

CJ
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post #4 of 33
3/8/07 at 4:05am

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

Have you tried Camino? It's made by the same people who made Firefox, but is specifically for Mac. It is supposed to be very fast, but may not have as many features as some other browsers.
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post #5 of 33
3/8/07 at 9:09am
Thread Starter 

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

Seth,

Camino looks great and I would very much consider
trying it...

The problem is basically bookmarks and HTF toolbar.

If don't think that it will be a problem importing all
of Firefox's bookmarks over to Camino.

My problem is if plug-ins that usually work with Firefox
will also work with Camino. The HTF TOOLBAR is a
prime example. That little plug-in application is a huge
asset to me.

Any idea if Firefox plugins work with Camino?
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post #6 of 33
3/8/07 at 11:50am

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

Safari is still not 100 percent compatible with all the web sites I traverse--State Farm Insurance, for example. I use Firefox for that. But since the default web browser is Safari, and it is pre-configured and working for 99% of what I need, I use it.

- Steve
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post #7 of 33
3/8/07 at 12:27pm

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

You might want to read this: http://www.macuser.com/software/no_s..._week_ouch.php
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post #8 of 33
3/8/07 at 12:49pm

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

Safari uses the OS X built in spell checker, which is nicer, it allows you to look up words in the Mac's dictionary or google them. Other than that for me it is just habit. I use Camino or Firefox for incompatible websites.
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post #9 of 33
3/8/07 at 6:41pm

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

I was a hard core FF users before switching to the MBP so i naturally just installed FF for mac and haven't really given Safari much of a look. I depend on the many plug ins for FF way to much to stop using it.
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post #10 of 33
3/9/07 at 9:37am

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

I finally switched over to Firefox after a few issues that Safari has with web sites. I always had problems with Yahoo's main page...switching the featured news stories didn't work and niether does switching the different seraches (i.e. photos, shopping, video, etc.)

I find Firefox to work very well. The only drawback is what Ted decribes about the built in spell check, that's really the only thing I miss.


EDIT: I just remembered another drawback of Safari...when you open a browser window, that has a Flash movie playing, if you don't keep that window 'on top', the Flash movie slows down and plays choppy.
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post #11 of 33
3/9/07 at 10:13am

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

I, too, have never really give Safari much of a chance. I used to use Camino (when it was still known as "Chimera") almost exclusively before Pheonix (known today as "FireFox") began getting official MacOS X builds. I made the switch back then because it was much more stable than Chimera.

I try to keep Camino up-to-date, but it's been years since I really used it last. FireFox handles 99% of the sites I visit without any major problems.
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post #12 of 33
3/9/07 at 1:21pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

Quote:
I find Firefox to work very well. The only drawback is what Ted decribes about the built in spell check, that's really the only thing I miss.

Wait a sec....the newest version of Firefox has a spell-checker, or
at least, underlines misspelled words.
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post #13 of 33
3/9/07 at 1:35pm

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

That's odd, mine doesn't underline misspelled words and I just did a check for updates and it said I was up to date.

Could it be an OS version thing? I'm still at 10.3.9 - or do I need to turn something on? I know in Safari, you had to select "Check Spelling as you Type" to have misspelled words underlined.

EDIT: I think I solved the problem. I don't actually have the latest version, which is really odd because the "Check for Updates..." said I was up to date, I had to manually go and download the new Firefox installer.
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post #14 of 33
3/9/07 at 1:44pm

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

Ok, I'm all up to date and now I see misspelled words underlined...

Thanks for pointing that out Ron! I never would have known I was out of date.
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post #15 of 33
3/9/07 at 1:49pm

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

You sometimes need to right click and hit Spell check this field for it to work
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post #16 of 33
3/19/07 at 2:03pm

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

what does camino do that firefox doesnt?
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post #17 of 33
3/19/07 at 3:25pm

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

After many moons of switching between the 3, there's very little difference IMO. Firefox has trouble rendering in a few places, but loads faster in a few. Safari loads faster in yet a few others. I'm so used to popping text size up and down for certain sites, I forget I'm doing it.

They tend to leapfrog feature and performance wise. I've yet to see a clear winner, so I keep Firefox and Safari in the dock. If one has trouble on a certain site, I'll give the other a try.

The 2560 Rez on the 30in will make quite a few site hash text/buttons over each other in either browser. A real pain at CNN and a few places.
No trouble here though (Nice job guys)

BTW, we'll have system wide spell check soon. Should be very nice.

E
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post #18 of 33
3/20/07 at 2:45am

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

Im having a lot of trouble with Safari properly displaying fonts on certain web pages and was wondering if anyone could help.
Im on a new 2.66 GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon tower.

Below is the sort of problem I am having...

This is the version of Safari Im running...

And this is the Apperance section in the Safari preferances


Anyone got any idea where Im going wrong here? I've been throught the system preferances with no luck, I've changed the Safari fonts from Arial to Gillsans to Veranda etc etc
I think it's defaulting to Helvetica fractions (as above in the first screen grab) but I cannot figure out why?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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post #19 of 33
3/20/07 at 7:40am

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

Do you have things set to another language, by any chance (International under System Prefs)?
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post #20 of 33
3/20/07 at 9:21am

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

Ahh! Figured it out.
While it wasn't something in International, checking that then made me realise that is wasn't anything in the system settings, which then lead me to the realisation that it's got to be a problem with the Extensis Suitcase Fusion software I have been using to keep all my printers fonts from my system fonts.
I simply removed the Helvetica fractions font from the suitcase application and restarted and now everything works fine
Many thanks Cameron for putting me on the right path
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post #21 of 33
3/20/07 at 10:10am

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

Glad to be of assistance, though that whole scenario would have never occurred to me.
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post #22 of 33
3/21/07 at 2:37pm

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

Ron, FWIW, I used Safari since it came out until FireFox 2. Then I tried out FireFox a bit and found it had a lot of features missing in Safari. Also, as was mentioned, Safari doesn't always rowk right. One specific example is shipping from the USPS web site. It simply doesn't work in Safari, so Used to have to remember to use Netscape. I have had no problems with FireFox and have used it as my default for several months.
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post #23 of 33
1/1/08 at 10:58am

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

I was going to post a question about Safari and FireFox. I see it's already discussed quite a bit here.

As some here know, there is this issue with Safari and the back button not functioning well on the HTF. I've been experiencing this for months and posted it in the Feedback section. Seems there's no solution. I did try the Java Script Off suggestion above just now and it seems to work!

This back button issue and issues with other sites like Yahoo has had me using Firefox more and more in the past few weeks. I guess I'll use it more in 2008.

What I liked was that I had a ton of bookmarks in Safari and I was able to import them into Firefox. However, if I want to update new Bookmarks from Safari into Firefox, I found I need to eliminate the Bookmarks in Firefox and then re-import them into Firefox, is there a better way?

I agree Safari is superior looking with font handling. I have not made the leap to Leopard yet, I sure hope the new Safari will resolve all the compatibility issues. I'm surprised Apple hasn't yet. I've always used Safari since it's inception and I'd like to keep using it.
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post #24 of 33
1/3/08 at 9:24am
Thread Starter 

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

I stopped using FIREFOX and have now gone exclusively SAFARI.

I love the way fonts look and I can even resize certain boxes.

The only problem is, I find SAFARI extremely buggy in loading pages
the first time out. Many times I have to RELOAD the page because
Safari can't do it on the first time out.
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post #25 of 33
1/3/08 at 10:42am

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

I too do most of my browsing in Safari. It's not perfect, often having problems with plugins for video (although this bug also often helps prevent unwanted popups from coming up, go figure...).

I have the same reasons as Ron. The font display is just so much better.
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post #26 of 33
1/3/08 at 12:09pm

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

I use 3 browsers and sync bookmarks from time to time. Safari, Firefox and pick your fav 3rd candidate.
When one fails a certain interest, I use a second to solve the problem. This is not perfect, but it does work for many problems when I don't want to waste time fixing one or the other.
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post #27 of 33
1/3/08 at 12:17pm

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

How's the plug-in support for Safari 3? I looked at Safari initially when I switched, but Firefox still had superior tabbed-browsing so I stuck with it. And there was essentially no third-party plug-in support for Safari. But I've not checked back since.
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post #28 of 33
1/3/08 at 1:34pm

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

I used Opera as my default browser and Firefox as my secondary for a long time on my WinPC. After switching from a WinPC to a Macbook (July 2007) I continued using Opera as my default browser and Firefox as my secondary. But the more I test drove Safari the more I liked it. Back in early October after finding the SafariPlus plugin for Safari for managing cookies I made Safari my default browser and kept Firefox as my secondary.

As of mid November I'm on Leopard's Safari and SafariPlus won't work on it so I'm managing cookies manually but I e-mailed the SafariPlus developer who said he ran into problems and time porting Safariplus to Leopard but hoped to continue after the new year. I can't exactly pinpoint why I like Safari more, it just feels more comfortable. I do experience the same problem as Ronald with it being buggy in loading pages but I deal with it.

I tried Camino and Flock. Did not like Flock at all (to busy for my taste) and Camino needs a little more time to catch up to Firefox then It may replace firefox as my secondary browser (depending on how FF3 works). I also like using the Safari plugins Inquisitor and SafariStand. All I really want plugins for in Safari is for cookie and flash/plugins management.
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post #29 of 33
1/3/08 at 2:02pm

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

I gave up trying to code for Safari. Code that will load pages predictably in both Internet Explorer and Firefox hardly ever loads pages predictably in Safari. And if I have to go out of my way for one browser that doesn't follow conventions, it's going to be IE and not Safari.
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post #30 of 33
1/3/08 at 8:44pm

Re: Why use SAFARI over FIREFOX?

It is going to be interesting to see what happens with Firefox with AOL dropping Netscape completely.
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