06-22-2010, 09:28 PM

Updated version of original poll:
http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/os-...o-you-use.html

So which do you use and why?

06-22-2010, 09:54 PM

I use Safari 5. When I first got to try OSX 10.2 on an old Converted G3 (7600 to G3), I fell in love with it. It's constantly improved over the years. Safari 5 is the fastest browser in a lot of Java tests as well as probably the most standards compliant.

Firefox has been like a good old friend on Windows and I keep it as a backup in OSX, but like a friend recently said to me, on OSX at least it's behind Opera and Safari in many things and on many benchmarks. It does have a great system of Extensions but now that Safari has that it will be interesting.

Opera with 10.5 has really improved. I keep it installed and am always testing it along with the Webkit nightly builds. Very fast browser.

Chrome I have never really liked at all. It's the interface mostly as the engine is the Webkit one like Safari. Also I do not like where Google is headed with Cloud computing and Cloud OS's. Not my cup of tea!

Also, I have had no crashes with Safari 5 except viewing Flash Videos. It's much better since Flash 10.1 and now I can play You Tube videos smoothly again on my 2.1 Ghz iMac G5 without pegging the poor CPU. Otherwise not one crash with Safari 5. I love Safari 5's interface also.

06-22-2010, 10:24 PM

Safari 5, but if I just need to google something, I use something called LightBrowser, super fast lightweight browser, perfect for short searches of the internet.

Download Lightbrowser for Mac - Very light web browser. MacUpdate Mac Software Downloads

06-24-2010, 01:37 PM

When I just bought my mac I was using FF because I used it on Windows but in a couple of weeks I switched to Safari and I've been using it ever since. Fast and simple.

06-24-2010, 01:50 PM

I use Firefox exclusively

06-24-2010, 02:01 PM

I've been a longtime Firefox user that switched over to Chrome..when I first got the iMac, stuck with Firefox (liked all of my extensions)..but when Chrome came to the Mac, I jumped and have been doing it since..

I do use Safari once in a while..but mostly Chrome..

Regards

06-24-2010, 06:54 PM

firefox all the way over here

06-24-2010, 07:21 PM

Well, I'm a long time Opera fan. But, I use a lot of browsers.

Have at least 5 off the top of my head I have installed in OS X and keep at least 3 on all my Win boxes
But, my favorites in each OS are:

in OS X - Safari - yep, with Glims I was able to make the switch some time ago.

my XP boxes - Opera

my Win7 HTPC - Firefox - only because some video sites won't work with Opera

iPad - Atomic Web Browser

iPhone - Opera mini

06-24-2010, 07:58 PM

Firefox because you can customize it to your liking.

06-25-2010, 07:57 AM

Originally Posted by dtravis7

Firefox has been like a good old friend on Windows and I keep it as a backup in OSX, but like a friend recently said to me, on OSX at least it's behind Opera and Safari in many things and on many benchmarks. It does have a great system of Extensions but now that Safari has that it will be interesting.

I have to commend Mozilla for doing great things in terms of catalyzing competition in the browser market but honestly, compared to some of the other browsers for OS X, it just doesn't add up for me. It's slower in terms of JS performance and, compared to Opera, Safari and Chrome, is the most "out of place" aesthetically. Sure, there is the large extension ecosystem but I'm not a big extension guy and the ones that I do use are available for other browsers (primarily a flash blocker).

Originally Posted by bobtomay

Well, I'm a long time Opera fan. But, I use a lot of browsers.

You and me both. I'm primarily an Opera and Chromium user but I have Firefox, Safari, Chrome, Chromium, Opera 10.5 and 10.6 on my machine.

06-25-2010, 10:00 AM

Chrome on the iMac with Snow Leopard.
Firefox on the Powerbook with Leopard because Safari 5, which I upgraded to, is seriously slow on it, despite all the RAM and a fast processor. Annoying really, I don't like Firefox much.

06-25-2010, 10:29 AM

Have you thought about giving Opera a try Kevriano? I find it fairly light on the system resources, it's fast and there are universal builds available. It's definitely faster and in my opinion, easier on the system than Firefox.

06-25-2010, 12:02 PM

I haven't, and actually I was using Camino on my old iBook. Maybe I should get that again.

06-25-2010, 02:44 PM

I agree on giving Opera a try.

I am a bit puzzled though on Safari 5 being slow. It files here on iMac G5 and even my iBook G4. Not just in Java tests, but on real sites. I have a feeling something else is wrong.

Van, I just don't like Chrome's interface. I felt this way from the first version I tried. Since both Opera and Safari 5 are in the same ball park performance wise as Chrome, I don't feel like I am missing anything. Also I can't run Chrome on my G5 as no Power PC version.

06-25-2010, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by dtravis7

I agree on giving Opera a try.

I am a bit puzzled though on Safari 5 being slow. It files here on iMac G5 and even my iBook G4. Not just in Java tests, but on real sites. I have a feeling something else is wrong.

Van, I just don't like Chrome's interface. I felt this way from the first version I tried. Since both Opera and Safari 5 are in the same ball park performance wise as Chrome, I don't feel like I am missing anything. Also I can't run Chrome on my G5 as no Power PC version.

Well it seems ok for general browsing, but I have a gif avatar on another forum, where there are a few of them, and it really doesn't cope well at all on those sites, where Firefox renders them very quickly.
Safari 5 has crashed twice on that forum.