Switching from Firefox to Safari

This week Apple rolled out a new version of Safari, its web browser for Mac and PC. They’re calling it the “World’s Fastest Browser.” For me, the browser is the most used program on my computer, so you’ll understand the gravity of this decision: I’m switching from Firefox to Safari for all my web browsing.

As you may know, BookFool.com is a Mac-based business. For the book industry, this is basically unheard of. But we’re not blind followers and fanboys. Before I made the switch official, I put the new Safari through its paces, and I must say it does seem quicker than other browsers. It definitely gives me a fluid, clean browsing experience.

I’ve always liked Safari, but there were two huge reasons that I stuck with Firefox:

  • Safari’s Find Feature (Command +F or Edit/Find) would not search inside non-editable text boxes. We ship thousands of orders per week from our browsers, and we sometimes need to find orders based on customer name or zip-code. The new Safari can search inside these boxes and does so with style:find-about
  • It always drove me nuts that clicking a link in Safari opened a new window instead of just a new tab. Sure you can hold Command while clicking to pop links into new tabs, but I don’t want to do that! This was a barrier to full-time Safari use until I found this fix at MacTips.org that cleared the path to new-tab bliss.

Safari Top Sites featureIf you gave up on Safari in the past, the new version is definitely worth a second look. Be dazzled by the improved Find feature. And marvel at its slick wall of Top Sites.

Oh, and did I mention it’s fast?


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  • DJ
    The horse references are all too prescient to some of us, Luke.

    I switched to Firefox finally a few months ago after one too many "browser not supported" warnings and I haven't looked back. It's been awesome. Too me, a browser is one of those things that you don't even think about until it screws up, so I didn't even know what I was missing.

    What does the new Safari offer that is an improvement over Firefox? (As opposed to improvements over the old Safari?)

    I'm with LD though, I'll keep some fresh... um... browser oats... if Safari can... take home... the Preakness... trophy... I got nothing.
  • DJ
    I'm not a big add-onner either (adder-onner.... you know what I mean) so I can speak to that issue.

    My bank website really didn't like the old Safari and I had a couple of other issues that I can't remember now. None since the big switch to Firefox.

    At this point I'll probably just stick with FF due to pure laziness unless a problem hatches.
  • Yeah, don't get me wrong, I love Firefox. I've converted a lot to it from IE.

    So far, after using Safari for two days now, I haven't run into any roadblocks for my continued use of it. It has all the same features as I used on Firefox. Now, Luke did say he had a lot of "add-ons" to Firefox. I probably had two. So, maybe I'm missing something?

    What would make a website say "Browser Not Supported?"

    KL
  • The new Safari is rather cool, but I'm sticking with Firefox for the foreseeable future. Can't give up my sweet extensions and add-ons. But Safari still has a stall in my stable.

    (Stall? Stable?)
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