Safari Beta Updated

LenE writes "Safari has been updated to Beta 6, and is available via Software Update. New in this version is XML support, more speed, and many bug fixes. The download is 2.4 MB and doesn't require a restart." From the notes: "The Safari Update 2-12-03 improves the compatibility with popular web sites based on Safari user feedback, further improves the performance of loading web pages and Flash content, adds support for XML, increases standards conformance and delivers improved application stability. The update also enables access to web sites that offer self-signed security certificates."

Comments

Many bugs were fixed, and CSS improved *a lot*

[King Babar]

Yes, you can run the w3c.org CSS1 tests now. But more importantly from my perspective (:-)) is that Eric Meyer's css / edge stuff now almost completely works. The only abject failure there is the second "ragged float" demo, and even that one is pretty close.

As far as styling XML goes, your XML apparently does have to have the DOCTYPE stuff set up correctly. This means you get no joy with the stuff on the w3c Styling XML site; safari won't display the xml files there at all.

Oh yeah: it's a bit faster...not that you're likely to notice.

File size decreases

[wcbrown]

As noted by Bill Bumgartner, file size of the package has gone from 7.2MB to 6.9MB.

I haven't seen file size increase with upgrades. The Safari developers should be proud.

Tabbed Browsing

[Cokelee]

I'm not sure if anyone realizes this, but Apple typically does NOT like Multiple Document Interfaces -- essentially what tabbed browsing is. For this reason I do NOT see them adopting tabs, ever. Even if every other KHTML browser has them. I may be wrong, but I believe using tabs would be a design flaw to Apple.

I'm still reading through their HIG to see if they warn against it.

Re:Tabbed Browsing

[code shady]

While I haven't seen any explicit warnings against using tabs with the brushed metal interface (but then, I haven't read all of the HIG), i also believe that apple will NOT implement tabbed browsing in safari.

The textured windows where "designed specifically for use by--and is therefore best suited to--applications that provide an interface for a digital peripheral, such as a camera, or an interface for managing data shared with digital peripherals, such as the Address Book application" or "... appropriate for applications that strive to re-create a familiar physical device". I think its the second one that is the most important here, but both uses play a role.

Take a look at iTunes. Its got one main window, an that window is the main focus of the app. In this case, the window is supposed to mimic the features and feel of, say, a CD player or the equivilant. Same with the calculator. Each of these one main windows contains all the controls you need, in one place where they can be easily accessed. In this context, the brushed window is approriate, because you only need one simple window for your interface.

Now, if this is the case, then why is it used in the Address book app or Safari? Well, its pretty simple. While you are not trying to mimic an actual peripheral, you ARE focusing soley on one particular type of data. Be it addresses, or a web page, each single window has a specific single focus.

Basically, each metallic window needs only focus on one thing. That one thing could be a web page, an address card, or a playlist. Putting tabs in safari would break that metaphor, which is something that apple would most likely not do.

Shortcuts

[slenver]

Apple+arrows now work for back and forward pages..... I just hate having to reach for the mouse when browsing 'with one hand'.....

Re:Shortcuts

[hexdcml]

why what you doin with you other hand?

Re:Shortcuts

[wrenkin]

Why is this rated Informative? If anything, it's Too Much Informative.

Re:Define "restart"

[kyrre]

iTunes, Quicktime, certain securty updates. Probably more.

tabs good

[djupedal]

The HIG, as I recall, doesn't mention tabs as evil. While Apple may not deploy tabs on the system level, we can look to Excel for tabbed worksheets as a long standing example, and to Airport Admin for a more recent usage. For a more public example, you only need to visit Apple.com

Safari will have tabs...sooner or later, and Cupertino will not slide into the Pacific as a result.

Re:tabs good

[Cokelee]

The HIG, as I recall, doesn't mention tabs as evil. While Apple may not deploy tabs on the system level, we can look to Excel for tabbed worksheets as a long standing example, and to Airport Admin for a more recent usage. For a more public example, you only need to visit Apple.com

Safari will have tabs...sooner or later, and Cupertino will not slide into the Pacific as a result.

Excel was NOT created by Apple, it was created by MICROSOFT.

The Airport Admin software CANNOT be document-oriented it contains NO documents

Apple's website is a SINGLE document. Every tab is not a NEW window it is a LINK to another page. Web Design and UI's are not equal.

Also, I wasn't being a sensationalist. I didn't call tabs evil, and I didn't say Apple's beloved home at Infinite Loop would slide into the Pacific Ocean. I simply said they don't implement MDIs, and ya know what, they don't.

Re:You forgot to mention tabs, so I will.

[trouser]

Nobody *needs* tabs. But once I got into the habit of using them I found them invaluable and wouldn't want to return to tab free browsing.

Tabs allow me to group related pages in one window. eg. When I read Slashdot I often open interesting looking linked articles in the background, intending to read them once I'm finished with Slashdot. Sometimes I'd find these windows hours later, minimised or hidden, and wonder why I'd opened them and how I got there. Now they are all tabs in a window whose first tab is Slashdot. This makes the context obvious.

The same applies to use of search engines. Search for the thing that interests you, open each lead in a new tab in the current window. All search results end up opened in the same window and are therefore linked by context.

very useful memory aid. I'm not getting any younger.

I turned off software update

[skinfitz]

Who needs it when /. announces all Apple updates?

Incidentally the apple /. gfx appear to be broken in safari now.

Tabbed Windows solution

[Anonymous Coward]

Here you can see screenshot mock-ups of my idea for tabs:

http://home.quicknet.nl/mw/prive/dennis.scp/s/safa ri

The idea is NOT to add tabs inside a window. But to place a new window at the exact same place as your previous window and let any obscured windows pop up a tab.

So instead of indenting that new window to the lower right to reveal a clickable border as used today, I say let the windows behind the current window pop up a tab to show their name and icon. The windows stay independent and the screen has less clutter than with today's jumpy stacking system. Power-users can cycle the windows in a tab-like fashion using the [option] key.

Rendering engine changes in detail

[ollie_ob]

Mark Pilgrim's excellent blog Dive Into Mark has a very comprehensive list of changes to the Webcore rendering engine. The permanent link is here. I'm impressed with how quickly he's managed to list these changes seeing as it only came out today!

One change I've noticed is Safari no longer freezes for a minute when loading certain webpages. Another nice change is that stylesheet change on Dave Hyatt's weblog actually works now. Dave is ironically one of the Safari developers, so it's just as well!!!

Saving RAM: An argument for tabbed browsing

[elliotj]

According to an off-the-cuff test I just performed, tabbed browsing can cut your RAM requirements in half and greatly speed up your system.

On my Mac I opened Chimera and filled up the window with as many tabs as it would allow (16 in a single window). All windows displayed the Slashdot mainpage. My Slashdot prefs are set to show all stories from all sections.

I checked the system usage in the Process Viewer app:

Navigator %CPU 9.00 %Memory 11.20

I then closed all the windows and did the same thing, this time opening 16 SEPARATE windows. Again with Slashdot's mainpage loaded in each.

Process Viewer showed:

Navigator %CPU 9.20 %Memory 22.40

So, according to this unscientific off-the-cuff test, you cut your RAM requirements in half by using tabs. YMMV.

I noticed this the other day when I opened over 50 different images in different windows. My Mac almost ground to a halt. I then opened the same images in tabs (in only a few windows ... again Chimera limits you to 16 tabs per window), and my performance was great.

So, to all those who think tabbed browsing is purely a matter of personal preference, I suggest that there is at least a reasonable performance based argument for it.

(the productivity arguments are even more compelling IMHO, but I won't get into those)