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Comments on: First Look video: Safari 4 Public Beta

Test-drive the latest interface enhancements and time-saving features for Safari, Apple's premiere cross-platform browser.

Add a Comment (Log in or register) (9 Comments)

by bourgtai February 25, 2009 8:34 PM PST

Safari does offer an extension framework. It just doesn't allow for toolbars or new skins.

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by kcotham February 26, 2009 3:55 PM PST: And it never should. That is the bane of the web browsers. A user interface should be consistent. Rampant customisation is something that Apple has fought against since its inception, and for good reason. If I open a program, I want it to be the same on every single solitary computer I open it on. I don't want to, nor is it good human interface design, to have to decipher a bunch of add-ons that (and let's be honest here) usually make the application less stable.

This fascination with lots of add-ons and "skinning" is a phenomenon taken straight from the Windows and Linux worlds, and needs to stay there. Apple has already made too many compromises to court those users. Apple needs to get back to basics. Aqua isn't even being adhered to anymore for crying out loud. Inconsistencies are creeping into Mac OS X.; Like this


by fjvwing February 26, 2009 3:49 AM PST: My first look left me angry, but I got over it. But my rant is here http://www.techsociotech.com/2009/02/major-ui-failure-at-apple.html; Like this Reply to this comment

by kcotham February 26, 2009 3:49 PM PST

Absolutely. They are violating everything they have been touting for years, their own Human Interface Guidelines. Unfortunately, this is not new, they've been doing it ever since they introduced Mac OS X, and it gets worse every version. They at Apple have hired so many people that weren't raised with Mac OS, bringing in first a NeXT and then a Windows mindset. They also have made an effort to make the Mac OS more friendly to Windows users to court them away. Instead of making it more friendly to Windows users, they are alienating long time Mac users like myself.

The top of the window should be have just like it does in ever other Mac OS application. It should be one bar, with one close button. Reload isn't even a button anymore! They've put an "add tab" button as a tab itself. And they've put a "handle" on each tab to move it around. There is no "stop" button (unless you count the "X" that shows up while loading, and it isn't a button). And is it my imagination or are the titles of the tabs in much smaller fonts than the old title bar? And yes, I also would like to be able to disable the Top Sites feature. Of course, I'm still waiting for the ability to have the close button on the left and the minimise and maximise buttons on the right of windows, like in Mac OS 9. Oh, and why can I not force a window to automatically go full screen anymore? In Mac OS 9 and before, all I had to do was alt-click any unruly window's maximise button, but not in OS X.

Apple, for the love of God and all that is Mac, please abandon these UI changes before it's too late!

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by kcotham February 26, 2009 4:04 PM PST: Oh, and I forgot to mention this. The reason stated for making that huge UI blunder by putting the tabs at the top was to save space. This is a lame excuse, especially since this isn't 1985 and even the tiniest of monitors have huge pixel counts. On a MacBook's 13" screen, one only saves 5 mm of vertical space. That does not justify this horrible design. Whoever signed off on this needs to dust off their résumé or go back to work at Google.; Like this


by joshdeboer March 4, 2009 9:47 PM PST: I agree 100%. I have been using Macs for over 12 years. They are just looking to steal away Windows users and have abandoned the die-hards, the people that represented 1.5% of the computer market before Apple was trendy.

The end is near...; Like this


by mlernst March 9, 2009 8:02 AM PDT: Take a deep breath. Take another one. Count to 10. Look out your window to see if the line at the neighborhood food pantry is in view. if so, go help serve hungry people. Then, come back to your Mac and you'll have a different perspective on what's really important. It'll be OK. Trust me.; Like this


by rossboi March 1, 2009 1:49 AM PST: This browser rocks! I've never liked any ui associated with apple or mac. This browser makes me want to try other mac stuff.; Like this Reply to this comment


by pando85 March 5, 2009 11:44 PM PST: Windows live webmail does not run on it, cnet videos play but if you try to click on a drop down menu the menu goes behind the video (playing or stopped) seems like the video area is "always on top" kinda ridiculous. Oh, other video sites set up like cnet have the same issue with things going behind the video area, also try to view photos for a device review which also has a video, the photos will show up BEHIND the video. beta or not thats dumb. Other than that I love the top sites.; Like this Reply to this comment