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Apple Quietly Releases Safari 3.2
99BottlesOfBeerInMyF writes "Yesterday Apple quietly slipped out an update to their Safari Web browser to version 3.2. The notable feature is that it finally adds anti-phishing technology, an area where Safari has lagged behind competitors. Aside from that, it provides some security fixes, improved JavaScript performance, and a slightly newer version of Webkit, pulling their Acid3 score up to 77." Apple forums across the Net are reporting frequent crashes in Safari 3.2, some possibly caused by 3rd-party add-ons, others perhaps related to the anti-phishing feature.
But anti-phishing is not about blacklists... Some might include that too but it is just a minor addon. Anti-phishing is about browser warning you when link with an anchor text "Your-Bank.com" is about to actually take you to "Your-Bank-fake.com".
Educating users is important but having a backup feature like that is helpful.
IF it was just anbout blacklists (blocking sites absolutely known to be scam) why would you turn it off? What harm would that do to you? :D
The WebKit nightly builds have been passing the ACID3 test for months and are still 4 times faster than Safari 3.2 according to the SunSpider Javascript Benchmark. Why is Safari so far behind?
It's the most important for mac users. Mac users may not be the majority but I don't think it's contentious to say they're an important minority.
What's more, Safari is playing a great role in creating an "arms race of web standards". All in all, I'd say Safari, though not as much as Firefox, is more *important* than IE.
There is something a little odd about this particular update-- Safari on my Mac had been acting very strangely lately-sucking up lots of processor, computer acting a bit odd. This is unusual. This seems to have been fixed by the update. Maybe just a coincidence?
The question is: why is Apple so quiet about rolling this update out and what it fixes, and since when does a minor Safari update require a reboot?!!
How does putting Safari 3.2 on Software Update, where by default it will be received by every internet-connected Mac OS X user in the world, count as a release that was "quietly slipped out"?
Granted, they're the new Bad Guy on /., but can we be a little less lazy and more accurate in our snide characterization of Apple's activities?
Apple certainly like to believe so, as they push it onto users with iTunes and QuickTime updates. Arms race? For eyeballs maybe but not for anything else.
If users could be trained, we could solve a lot of problems. Users don't care about learning, only about function.
I have one word for you:
iPhone
See now how important Safari is? Oh, and WebKit is used on Nokia phones too, and it's becoming a major player on the embedded browser market.
---- You know how some doctors have the Messiah complex - they need to save the world? You've got the "Rubik's" complex
When you want to go to the website of your bank, credit union etc., type in what you see on the printed material you have in front of you!
Fails to protect against DNS poisoning. Next!