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You are here: MacNN Forums > Software - Troubleshooting and Discussion > macOS > Anyone else not use Safari as default?

Anyone else not use Safari as default?
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Jbroad572
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Dec 10, 2003, 12:50 AM
 
I've been having problems with Safarit lately. My webpages won't load at all after I browse for awhile. I will have to shut Safari down before it will work again. It has been doing this frequently. I can't load Sprintpcs site with Safari either. Whenever it has its problems I've been using Mozilla Firebird. It is definately faster, IMO and from a few test I've done. It seems like a "new" browser, but it's decent. I also like Netscape. I like Safari, but with all the problems I'm thinking of making one of these my default browser. I have already tried resetting Safari numerous times as well, but I have the same problem. How do I change the default browser? Are these the best alternatives?
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CharlesS
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Dec 10, 2003, 01:35 AM
 
To change the default browser in 10.3, you have to go to Safari's preferences. I know - it's really stupid. There used to be an "Internet" preference pane in 10.2, but they removed it for some reason that is a mystery to me.

You should also look at OmniWeb and Camino - they are both nice browsers.

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RayX
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Dec 10, 2003, 02:05 AM
 
I use Mozilla 1.6b as default.
( Last edited by RayX; Dec 10, 2003 at 09:05 AM. )
     
angelmb
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Dec 10, 2003, 02:37 AM
 
I use iCab. Expect the version 3 will be a winner.

'How do I change the default browser?'

Not only the browser but every internet app, try:

http://www.clauss-net.de/misfox/misfox.html

it�s only 192 kb --> (http://www.clauss-net.de/misfox/misfox.sit)
     
Moonray
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Dec 10, 2003, 05:08 AM
 
After changing your default browser you might also want to change the preferred application for opening .html files in the Finder (select one, 'get info', choose your browser under 'open with' and then press 'change all'

-
     
Johnny_B
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Dec 10, 2003, 10:48 AM
 
Safari has PithHelmet. I know of Privoxy, and iCab has also great add blocking, but PithHelmet is so nice and easy. iCab ?? Maybe 3 will be good, but now it's rather dead compared to Safari, Mozilla, Camino, etc.
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trash80
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Dec 10, 2003, 11:00 AM
 
my default browser is Mozilla Firebird, its nice, fast and stable and i like to be able to use the same browser at home and work (where i am forced to use a PeeCee ugh)
     
wataru
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Dec 10, 2003, 03:53 PM
 
Safari is great, but it seems to wait until it has all or almost all of the images downloaded before it renders the page. Firebird renders almost immediately. I'm on dialup most of the time now so I've switched to Firebird.

It's also kind of fun following the nightlies. You get to see all sorts of improvements as they are added in.
     
Terri
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Dec 10, 2003, 04:41 PM
 
Mozilla for me, currently 1.6b.

Safari maybe someday after they get the bugs worked out.
     
petehammer
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Dec 10, 2003, 04:47 PM
 
Lord knows why, but everything besides Safari (mozilla, explorer, etc) freezes my system.

And because I'm not a huge Safari fan, I actually use Explorer 5.1.6 in Classic as I browse. It's MUCH faster and has better download management. Plus, it has a lot more options to control. Safari seemed to have all of 5.
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Brass
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Dec 10, 2003, 07:58 PM
 
Camino is the ideal browser for me. Very nice Aqua-native GUI, which no other Mozilla derivative has, and very fast and compatible (like every other Mozilla derivative).

Safari is very nice, but it's just not ready yet. I get irritated with it after a while when I try to use it as a default browser (which I've tried with every release). It has too many incompatabilities with web pages, and has too many other bugs (most recently, the latest version refuses to download using FTP! on several Macs here).
     
barbarian
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Dec 10, 2003, 08:16 PM
 
I use Firebird as default.

I'd like to use Safari, but it just has too many issues with forms and https connections. It is incompatible with virtually all the banking, airline sites I use on a regular bases. Normally it fails on the critical last step where you input your info or click to buy. Annoying.

But I still use it for regular browsing of news & info.
     
sodamnregistered2
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Dec 10, 2003, 09:27 PM
 
Firebird as default here as well.

Safari is kinda wacked. It mostly works well, but then acts poorly and fails me or unexpectedly quits.

Hooey.
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Thor
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Dec 12, 2003, 09:41 AM
 
Mozilla 1.4 (until Pinstripe is updated)
Camino as an alternate.

One trip to Firebird's preferences convinced me not to use it.
     
philcozz
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Dec 12, 2003, 10:39 AM
 
Firebird here, too! Great browser.
     
Chris O'Brien
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Dec 12, 2003, 04:41 PM
 
I tried to get into firebird since a lot of the people I know who use windows rave about it, but I just couldn't. It really is not made for aqua (at the moment).

I love Ghecko based browsers and use Moz as my default, basically because I do a hell of a lot of web development and there's so much stuff in moz for the likes of me. Camino has been the most usable in terms of just browsing for me, although my girlfriend insists on using Safari for everything...
     
madmacgames
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Dec 12, 2003, 05:07 PM
 
yeah I noticed the problem with the SprintPCS account site today too... but I think that is mostly due to Sprint's fault. For starters, 330 items have to load before the page text can be displayed.
     
cpac
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Dec 12, 2003, 06:31 PM
 
I use OmniWeb 4.5 as default with occasional recourse to Camino
cpac
     
Arkham_c
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Dec 12, 2003, 07:11 PM
 
I sue Safari + PithHelmet at home, and Firebird on my Windows PC at work.
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Truepop
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Dec 12, 2003, 09:52 PM
 
I use safari on my Power Mac because I am too lazy not to but I like the bookmark management drawer of OmniWeb and use 4.5 on my PowerBook.
     
Jim Paradise
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Dec 12, 2003, 09:58 PM
 
Safari can continue to kiss my January 2002 build of Camino using ass.
     
mitchell_pgh
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Dec 12, 2003, 10:18 PM
 
I guess I'm the only one that just uses Safari in it's native form...

It work for me (most of the time)
     
nobodybutme
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Dec 12, 2003, 10:30 PM
 
Camino, definitely.
     
Krypton
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Dec 13, 2003, 08:57 AM
 
     
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Dec 13, 2003, 01:28 PM
 
Camino definately. I've tried Firebird a few times but there are a few major annoyances that always remind me why i love Camino.
     
Catfish_Man
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Dec 13, 2003, 04:53 PM
 
Another vote for the latest Camino nightly.
     
ryaxnb
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Dec 13, 2003, 05:55 PM
 
Originally posted by RayX:
I use Mozilla 1.6b as default.
My Mozilla-based browser can beat up your Mozilla-based browser. Try Firebird,. http://www.mozilla.org/products/firebird
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Steveis... said: "What would scammers do with this info..." talking about a debit card number!
     
ryaxnb
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Dec 13, 2003, 05:56 PM
 
Originally posted by ryaxnb:
My Mozilla-based browser can beat up your Mozilla-based browser. Try Firebird,. http://www.mozilla.org/products/firebird
Do you have PithHelmet? That sometimes mucks things up.
Trainiable is to cat as ability to live without food is to human.
Steveis... said: "What would scammers do with this info..." talking about a debit card number!
     
ryaxnb
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Dec 13, 2003, 05:57 PM
 
Originally posted by Johnny_B:
Safari has PithHelmet. I know of Privoxy, and iCab has also great add blocking, but PithHelmet is so nice and easy. iCab ?? Maybe 3 will be good, but now it's rather dead compared to Safari, Mozilla, Camino, etc.
Your sig is too long. Isn't it only supposed to be 7 lines?
Trainiable is to cat as ability to live without food is to human.
Steveis... said: "What would scammers do with this info..." talking about a debit card number!
     
ryaxnb
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Dec 13, 2003, 05:59 PM
 
Originally posted by Thor:
Mozilla 1.4 (until Pinstripe is updated)
Camino as an alternate.

One trip to Firebird's preferences convinced me not to use it.
Why not? If you think it's not configurable enough, go to
a b o u t : c o n f i g (about:config) without the spaces and peer at the myriad of options.
Trainiable is to cat as ability to live without food is to human.
Steveis... said: "What would scammers do with this info..." talking about a debit card number!
     
ryaxnb
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Dec 13, 2003, 06:00 PM
 
Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
I guess I'm the only one that just uses Safari in it's native form...

It work for me (most of the time)
Huh? Lots of people, about 50% of the OS X users, use Safari. I do too.
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Steveis... said: "What would scammers do with this info..." talking about a debit card number!
     
dgbatchelor
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Dec 14, 2003, 02:55 AM
 
Camino
     
AshUK
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Dec 14, 2003, 04:50 PM
 
I use the nightly builds of Firebird, tis great
     
lawgeek
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Dec 14, 2003, 06:14 PM
 
A question for people who don't use Safari: Does any of the other browsers support the smooth scrolling feature built into Panther? It's just a personal preference, but I can't stand to use a web browser that doesn't support it (and I don't count the half-a**ed implementation of smooth scrolling in Gecko browsers).
     
DeepDish
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Dec 14, 2003, 08:52 PM
 
I love Apple and apprieate Safari, but I had to give up on it. Sometimes fonts are big, come back an hour later of no use, fonts load huge. Pictures don't load properly.

Hate to admit it, but I use IE.

I think I will try firebird tonight. Seems like a lot of people like it.

DD
     
ryaxnb
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Dec 14, 2003, 10:22 PM
 
Originally posted by DeepDish:
I love Apple and apprieate Safari, but I had to give up on it. Sometimes fonts are big, come back an hour later of no use, fonts load huge. Pictures don't load properly.

Hate to admit it, but I use IE.

I think I will try firebird tonight. Seems like a lot of people like it.

DD
get the latest nightlies from ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.or...bird/nightly/.
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Steveis... said: "What would scammers do with this info..." talking about a debit card number!
     
Gul Banana
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Dec 14, 2003, 11:35 PM
 
I use Omniweb. For lawgeek, it supports smooth scrolling.
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TheTraveller
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Dec 15, 2003, 12:43 AM
 
I use Safari as the default, but I find myself using Camino a good bit of the time.
     
nredman
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Dec 15, 2003, 08:46 PM
 
i use safari as my default and dont have any problems with it...i dont know what you people are smoking

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lawgeek
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Dec 15, 2003, 08:52 PM
 
Originally posted by Gul Banana:
I use Omniweb. For lawgeek, it supports smooth scrolling.
Hmm... I can't get OmniWeb 4.5 to use smooth scrolling. Any ideas on how to enable it?
     
RayX
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Dec 15, 2003, 10:43 PM
 
Originally posted by DeepDish:
Hate to admit it, but I use IE.
There should be no reason to use IE. It's slow, ugly, and featureless. Trash it.

Between Mozilla 1.6b and Safari, I haven't come across a site that couldn't be viewed with at least one of those, Mozilla having the best compatibility. If the site doesn't work with either browser, the site probably isn�t worth visiting anyway.
     
   
 
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