Browsing the browsers: Web choices for your Mac expand
Posted by Daniel East 
Nov 10, 2004 at 6:28am
With the release of Firefox 1.0 from Mozilla Foundation, the options and choices for Mac-friendly Web browsers improve, but what do some of these browsers offer that we don’t already get from Safari? Depending on your needs, not much.
There are some benefits from the added features in Firefox, Netscape (remember them?), Opera and OmniWeb, but Safari still outperforms them all. What Firefox does, more importantly, is provide a cross-platform alternative to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, which continues to be riddled with security flaws and a very dated interface. Even having said that, there are still a large number of web sites (many of which are database driven) that require IE for functionality and even those don’t perform well (enough) with Macs. With several choices out there (several based on Apple’s WebKit developer tool), there are some options and choices if, and only if, your current browser frustrates you. It’s good to try a few and look at your favorite sites that require a few of the things that might end up as “road blocks” to see what works best for your particular needs.
Firefox 1.0
Like most Web browsers, Firefox is freeware. With well over a year in development, Firefox offers a simple interface, decent performance and increased security options. With a huge amount of attention given to Mozilla’s beta program, end users truly contributed to the final release of version 1.0. Even WSJ’s Walt Mossberg is recommending that IE needs to be put aside.
Like most other browsers today, Firefox offers tabbed windows, pop up blocking and auto-fill as standard. What Firefox did, rather quietly, is include live browsing and RSS feeds beating Apple’s release of Safari under OS 10.4 (a.k.a. Tiger) to the public. After use with several betas and the newest v.1.0, this is definitely a major contender with some terrific features and added compatibility over Safari, but without the faster rendering performance I get from Apple’s Safari. For more on Firefox 1.0, check out Frank Petrie’s review.
Opera 7.5x
Opera is a browser with a loyal following and a history of creative features that have come into their own in the current version under OS X. In addition to the features of Firefox, Opera includes the options of built-in IRC chat, an e-mail client and the ability to change the interface “skin” to your liking. Even with some excellent control features, Opera still has a few hurdles to overcome with unresolved bugs and a slightly slower performance over some of the other browsers tested. Opera is available as both a freeware version with advertising and a paid version that is ad-free.
Netscape 7.2
“Pet names” aside, and I won’t mention them here, Netscape has come a long way. With the addition of some cool features like “Click to Search” where simply clicking on a word searches the web for more info; built in AIM and ICQ; and, an update to the ol’ Netscape Publisher feature, there is a lot to offer for those who really want a full-featured browser bundle. For my taste, too full featured; however, there is a lot to consider with the latest carnation of this old standard. It is a bloated browser with a lot of “because we can” type features, but it is not without rhyme or reason.
Shiira 0.9.3
This completely Cocoa-based Web browser is based on Apple’s WebKit engine (same as Safari) and offers some great features for a product in its infancy. With familiar features like tabbed windows and customizable toolbar, Shiira has some graphical items like Cache space progress bar and sidebar viewing of downloads, history and bookmarks. Since it is nearly identical to Safari in page views and appearance, this is a fun – although still a bit buggy – option if you like living on the edge of the web.
TrailBlazer 0.52
In case you’ve never heard of it, TrailBlazer was developed by MacWarriors and released at the University of Illinois’ Engineering Open House in 2004. Created entirely in Cocoa in Objective-C, this browser also uses Apple’s WebKit for page viewing, but applies features like “Graphical History” and visual content searching. If using the ol’ click and hold the backbutton method of retracing your steps seems like too much, TrailBlazer allows you to achieve the same results visually and easily providing a global history of your time online.
iCab 2.9.8
This shareware Web browser is a work-in-progress offering some smart features and, again, with a very loyal following in the Mac community. You have the ability to block most advertising and it allows easy selection/deletion of the settings. With a Kiosk mode for full screen viewing, HTML syntax checking on each site, site download manager, and a preferences pane that allows total control over every viewing and performance aspect of this browser there is a lot to see here.
As a nice addition, MisFox is included in the download archive so that Internet settings may be more appropriately adjusted in the OS, itself. Not for the faint-of-heart, MisFox is a freeware title that allows the user to modify and view the file mappings and protocol helper applications (like QuickTime, RealMedia, PDF viewers, etc.). While this browser is not quite reliable enough for some users, it is a very well thought out and useable product.
Camino 0.8.1
Camino (formerly Chimera) is the step-sibling to Firefox and certainly has a life of its own. Using the Gecko rendering engine, there are some nice performance features to this simple, fast and cleanly designed browser. One nice touch is the “top 10” bookmark collection and site-by-site pop-up block/unblock, depending on the need. Again, this is a beta release, so it is a bit slow and still buggy; however, this is a nicely done browser that may find its way onto more and more Macs once the final version arrives.
OmniWeb 5.0
After a number of modestly successful releases, OmniGroup’s browser still has some terrific features that are even better in this latest version. For just US$29.95, you too can have OmniWeb. Actually, this is a browser with style, power and some tools on board that you might just actually use. Are they worth spending the thirty bucks for? For me, no. After all of the usual features, OW adds password management, spell-check, and an HTML editor. You want more? I’ll give you more—OmniWeb also features “workspaces” to manage your history like Safari on steroids. Another favorite, site-specific preferences that allow you to control cookies, pop-ups and more. A great app, even if the price stings a little.
The bottom line is that there are choices (should the need arise). It goes way beyond Microsoft and, as one that is not so anti-MS but just doesn’t have the need for many of their products, it is good to have these options. As a Web designer, a general end-user or just if you enjoy a little online Russian Roulette, it is good to have more than one browser so that you can address issues like online banking, news sites, database form filling and Java Applets that may or may not work in your current browser of choice. These are a few of the products available, and, of course, there are more. I would encourage anyone interested in trying some of these browsers to read the reviews, check the download sites and search the forums so that there are no unforeseen problems. At the very least, it is interesting to look at each developer’s site to see just what makes the browsers special.
Conclusion
Personally, I’m quite happy with Safari. It does everything that I need it to do. I look forward to Apple’s new Safari RSS version and to the new versions of all of these titles. With developer tools continuing to get better and more Quartz enabled applications on the horizon, the web “surfing” experience is approaching high tide.
Daniel East continues to be involved with Apple products with nearly 25 years of experience. In addition to his freelance writing for a variety of publications and media outlets, East is currently president of a national music promotion/marketing firm, founder/president of The Mid-Atlantic Apple/Macintosh User Groups Team (MaMUGs) and co-host of “PC Talk Radio/Mac Edition” with Levin Communications. And he’s a contributing editor for Macsimum News.
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Daniel East
Daniel M. East is a technology author, freelance writer, presenter/trainer and consultant with more than 20 years experience in professional photography, design, pro-audio and music industry marketing. East is also founder and president of The Apple Groups Team support network for user groups.
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Roger Harris Says:
Sorry Daniel,
Safari does not have a speed edge on Firefox. They are about the same with Firefox having a slight edge. But were Firefox makes Safari look like a hack is in scrolling a window. Safari is pitiful at window scrolling (no small matter). I think Safari is a great browser but it has plenty of it’s own problems.
I do not like the way Safari handles bookmarks. It is horrible to import bookmarks and then try to arrange the mess it makes.
Roger
Posted on November 10, 2004