safari
A Windows Safari
November 17, 2007 Filed in: Tech Stuff
| Apple
Safari is the default browser on my MacBook. I've
tried several others, but I just keep coming back to.
It has some intangible quality that just makes it
enjoyable to use, so I thought I'd try out Safari on
my XP machine at work. Since I use Safari at home,
nothing about its core functionality came as a
surprise to me. I'm used to how it renders fonts. I'm
aware of its limitations. I know exactly what it does
well and where it could still use growth. When Safari
was released on Windows, those individuals who
downloaded it did not know what to expect, and the
initial reactions reflected that. Rather than focus
on those details, I just want to write about what the
user experience is like on XP in general.
Using Safari on XP is, in short, a strange experience. Apple does nothing to make Safari feel like a Windows application. In fact, they seem to go out of their way to make it look and feel as much like a Mac application as possible.
This is what Safari looks like on Windows XP – almost exactly how it would appear on Mac OS X. It's almost as if Apple is using their flagship browser as a not-so-subtle advertisement for their operating system. From the toolbar icons, to sheet dialogues, to the scrollbars, Safari stands out with its uniquely Mac experience. This could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your perspective.
Even the menus, toolbar buttons, and in-page drop downs look like the come directly out of OS X. Almost every interface element is customized to look exactly like the browser's Mac counterpart. Again, if you've ever used Safari on a Mac, then you will know exactly what to expect on Windows. Very seldom did any Windows-like elements appear while I used Safari on XP. One of those times was in printing. A standard Windows print dialog appeared, which was rather visually jarring. The other Mac to Windows difference I noticed is in the browser window's controls, which more closely resemble what you would expect on Windows in shape and position, though they were not the default XP controls.
mac controls and windows controls
In the end, what does this experience mean to Windows users? If you are looking for an application that provides a peek into the general Mac experience, Safari might provide an interesting insight. However, users merely looking for a browser to replace Internet Explorer might be put off by the sheer unfamiliarity of the interface. Quite frankly, Safari does not fit in on Windows, and this inconsistency seems intentional. It's as if Apple is sticking an ad for OS X in front of WIndows users every time Safari is launched, and that will likely prove off-putting to many individuals. In this case, I think Apple should have tailored Safari's interface to fit better into Windows, allowing users a more seamless experience, rather than making it so obvious this is a piece of Macintosh software.
As an experienced Mac user, I personally love using Safari on Windows. It's a far better experience than using Internet Explorer, and I can't get Firefox to function properly on our machines at work. However, experienced Windows users may be quickly turned off by the nonstandard interface, never giving the application a second glance because it is so glaringly out-of-place. The Windows browser market is a pretty crowded place, with IE dominating the casual users and Firefox entrenched with more tech-savvy users. Apple is going to have a hard time gaining a following in this market, and I think they are sabotaging their own efforts by not creating an experience that fits in with Windows more seamlessly.
Using Safari on XP is, in short, a strange experience. Apple does nothing to make Safari feel like a Windows application. In fact, they seem to go out of their way to make it look and feel as much like a Mac application as possible.
This is what Safari looks like on Windows XP – almost exactly how it would appear on Mac OS X. It's almost as if Apple is using their flagship browser as a not-so-subtle advertisement for their operating system. From the toolbar icons, to sheet dialogues, to the scrollbars, Safari stands out with its uniquely Mac experience. This could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your perspective.
Even the menus, toolbar buttons, and in-page drop downs look like the come directly out of OS X. Almost every interface element is customized to look exactly like the browser's Mac counterpart. Again, if you've ever used Safari on a Mac, then you will know exactly what to expect on Windows. Very seldom did any Windows-like elements appear while I used Safari on XP. One of those times was in printing. A standard Windows print dialog appeared, which was rather visually jarring. The other Mac to Windows difference I noticed is in the browser window's controls, which more closely resemble what you would expect on Windows in shape and position, though they were not the default XP controls.
mac controls and windows controls
In the end, what does this experience mean to Windows users? If you are looking for an application that provides a peek into the general Mac experience, Safari might provide an interesting insight. However, users merely looking for a browser to replace Internet Explorer might be put off by the sheer unfamiliarity of the interface. Quite frankly, Safari does not fit in on Windows, and this inconsistency seems intentional. It's as if Apple is sticking an ad for OS X in front of WIndows users every time Safari is launched, and that will likely prove off-putting to many individuals. In this case, I think Apple should have tailored Safari's interface to fit better into Windows, allowing users a more seamless experience, rather than making it so obvious this is a piece of Macintosh software.
As an experienced Mac user, I personally love using Safari on Windows. It's a far better experience than using Internet Explorer, and I can't get Firefox to function properly on our machines at work. However, experienced Windows users may be quickly turned off by the nonstandard interface, never giving the application a second glance because it is so glaringly out-of-place. The Windows browser market is a pretty crowded place, with IE dominating the casual users and Firefox entrenched with more tech-savvy users. Apple is going to have a hard time gaining a following in this market, and I think they are sabotaging their own efforts by not creating an experience that fits in with Windows more seamlessly.
Links 11/15/07
November 15, 2007 Filed in: Links
TedBlog: Why can't we grow new energy?
Juan Enriquez on TED.com
Interesting talk about rethinking our views of fossil fuels and what defines renewable energy.
Surfin' Safari: Ten New Things in WebKit 3
Maciej Stachowiak outlines many of the improvements in the most recent versions of WebKit. You can take advantage of these features by upgrading to Leopard, updating Tiger to version 10.4.11, or by downloading the latest versions of WebKit or Safari for Windows.
Ars Technica: Ice is the new Tanooki: a review of Super Mario Galaxy
In case you needed more convincing that I'm completely enthused about Super Mario Galaxy, here's a link to the overwhelmingly positive Ars review by Ben Kuchera.
From the review:
Interesting talk about rethinking our views of fossil fuels and what defines renewable energy.
Surfin' Safari: Ten New Things in WebKit 3
Maciej Stachowiak outlines many of the improvements in the most recent versions of WebKit. You can take advantage of these features by upgrading to Leopard, updating Tiger to version 10.4.11, or by downloading the latest versions of WebKit or Safari for Windows.
Ars Technica: Ice is the new Tanooki: a review of Super Mario Galaxy
In case you needed more convincing that I'm completely enthused about Super Mario Galaxy, here's a link to the overwhelmingly positive Ars review by Ben Kuchera.
From the review:
This is a game for people who love games. Nintendo has fired a shot at everyone who claims the Wii is just a gimmick and will soon wear out its welcome. This is a game that's a must-play for anyone who enjoys platforming titles or who just likes a good challenge that won't run out any time soon...The level of polish and care put into Mario Galaxy is evident in every moment of play, and I have a feeling everyone else will be taking notes for the next few years.