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Safari Beta Takeup Tops Firefox, IE and Chrome

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the it-won't-last dept.

nk497 writes "The release of the beta for the next version of Apple's Safari browser last week helped drive Apple's market share above ten per cent. The Safari beta has gained users at a rate of about 0.5 per cent a day since its release, topping one per cent by day four. For comparison, Microsoft's beta of IE took six months to hit one percent, Chrome needed almost a month, and Firefox 3 took a week."

4 of 342 comments (clear)

  1. So what? by LingNoi · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    When Firefox came out most people didn't realise they even had a choice. It's hardly a fair comparison between 2004 and now, especially when it's from a company that has a horde of raging fanbois that will use anything they're told and like it.

    1. Re:So what? by bondsbw · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      When Firefox came out most people didn't realise they even had a choice. It's hardly a fair comparison between 2004 and now

      I didn't realize Firefox 3 came out in 2004... wow!

      To think, I was wasting so much time with version 1 and 2 when I could have had 3 all along...

      --
      All my liberal friends think I'm a conservative, all my conservative friends think I'm a liberal.
  2. Why offer a beta as a default download? by rklrkl · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    The reason for the rapid rise of Safari 4 Beta recently is that Apple have taken the frankly appalling decision to push a beta version of the browser as the default one to download when you go to http://www.apple.com/safari/ (and even deviously put the word "BETA" in a fainter, smaller font so you won't notice it).

    Now Apple may claim that it's stable enough for any Mac end-user to download and use, but if that's the case, why is it still labelled "BETA", which implies that the general public shouldn't download this unless they're willing to be burned by unfixed bugs/missing features?

    Contrast this with Firefox, which has never offered a beta release as the default download for users who visit the primary download site. In fact, if anything, pre-release versions of Firefox are arguably a little too hard to find, but I'd rather they erred on the side of caution - one bad pre-release that the masses get hold of and it can cause some damage to their reputation.

  3. Re:Not convinced these are genuine users by intheshelter · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    You're "prepared to stand corrected on the fact that this isnt being pushed at present by the insidious apple update. "

    - Wow, how big of you to be prepared to stand corrected. At what point will you actually stand corrected? Actually, I am looking forward to being prepared to stand corrected that your inaccurate accusation against Apple is not an insidious Hater posting by someone who can't get his facts right.

    I don't know which is worse. Your initial inaccuracy, or your lame attempt at a retraction while still tossing an unwarranted insult. At any rate, I am prepared to hear your sniveling dishonest reply.