Comments on: Microsoft to Mac users: Use Firefox, not Safari
Microsoft is finally recognizing that there is life outside its own technologies, referring Mac and Windows users to Firefox, and not merely its IE browser.
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A significant step would be to unweld IE from Windows so successful attacks don't give the attacker total ownership on the system.
A significant step would be to create a standards complaint, reasonably secure and stable browser.
A significant step is not to recommend to users of an OS that doesn't have a supported version of IE to use something else.
- by t26l August 3, 2008 6:04 PM PDT
- The comment that they could be just choosing the seems like a reasonable one... well except none of us ever consider MS reasonable do we ;-)
- Like this Reply to this comment
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(7 Comments)So rather than look at it as a step forward, consider it as a business decision. If choosing which enemies to keep close, I might choose Firefox 2.x as well.
Firefox already exists in the Windows space, so it really isn't a new competitor... just a few more Macs running it and well call it a day. Since it has a larger share of the browser market, it seems like the next best thing to focus development and testing effort on.
Safari though, which is found on those sexy iMacs, is new to the Windows space. It's goal is compatibility before standards, and has the Apple marketing machine and designers behind it. It will likely find converts from IE that didn't/wouldn't consider FireFox.
Also considering Safari's core, Webkit, is open source as well, is found on the iPhone, is moving to other platforms, and has some excitement around it...it's not going away and it's moving into some of those exciting new places.
So... it's not that I think they like FireFox, it's just a pragmatic decision - focus your testing efforts and do what you can to avoid supporting someone who is going to lob another chunk of fat off the Internet Explorer monopoly.
[http://Personally I like FireFox so by acknowledging Firefox then perhaps standards compliance has a fighting change... but I'm also excited for Webkit; any any time I see a quality, cross platform, opensource toolkit... I'm happy... because it means more competition, a healthier ecosystem, and MS having to make choices for themselves instead of for us|http://Personally I like FireFox so by acknowledging Firefox then perhaps standards compliance has a fighting change... but I'm also excited for Webkit; any any time I see a quality, cross platform, opensource toolkit... I'm happy... because it means more competition, a healthier ecosystem, and MS having to make choices for themselves instead of for us]