WaMCom, Mozilla for OS 9
From N. Kelly
Have you looked at the WaMCom
browser? It is a project where someone took the last compatible source
of Mozilla 1.3.1 and finished it for OS 9.
Nicholas Kelly
Hi Nicholas,
Read on. I have not tried WaMCom, although it sounds
like an excellent solution for OS 9 users. I am pretty much
totally switched to OS X these stays, and I use iCab backed up by old Netscape 4.8 for what
surfing I do in OS 9. However, as I noted in the article, if I
were still using OS 9 for day to day computing, I would definitely
have Mozilla (or WaMCom), on hand. (Download
WaMCom here.)
Charles
IE v. Mozilla (WaMCom)
From Vince
Charles,
I enjoyed your recent column about web browsers for the Mac. Include
me as another conservative with a healthy disrespect for Microsoft. We
are taught in American schools about the value of markets, but then we
turn around and support a monopoly - the antithesis of a market. Please
continue to remind people of the more obvious advantages of the Mac. I
wish I could do more, but fighting a monopoly seems like a quixotic
task. I remain flabbergasted at the recent story about the University
of Chicago IT department.
Regardless, I want to eliminate Microsoft from my Mac. After reading
recommendations on the MacFixIt
forums, I downloaded the WaMCom version of Mozilla (1.3.1) from
wamcom.org and found it to be the
fastest browser available for Mac OS 9 (I use 9.2.1 exclusively,
waiting for X to get better). This is especially true if you turn off
Flash, cookies, and JavaScript. (Download
WaMCom here.)
The problem is, for some sites I need cookies and JavaScript. It
would be nice if a browser included the option to "Reject all cookies
except for the following sites" or "Accept cookies only from the
following sites." Occasionally I use iCab, but I find it to be quite a
bit slower than either Mozilla or IE. So I use IE 5 as my "cookies-on,
JavaScript-on" browser when I make purchases, when the site demands it,
or otherwise want to use a site that saves my preferences such as
Amazon or Google. The rest of the time, I use Mozilla.
To sum up my opinions of Mozilla 1.3.1:
Pros: fast, stable, faster caching than IE when
returning to a page; great ad blocking, popup blocking, and image
blocking; allows me to read everything in Verdana 12; and has a decent
mail app that on my system has replaced Outlook Express.
Cons: Development seems to have stopped, slow startup,
cosmetic problems such as pulldown menu peculiarities and browser
preferences that don't remember where you last visited (e.g. always
having to flip the Appearance triangle even though I was just there),
unorthodox history handling, poor URL autocomplete (esp. compared to
IE); and the inability to have a line of bookmark folders on the
personal toolbar (like IE allows). I like having my bookmark folders
spread horizontally across the tool bar.
One more thing. Neither my "Copy to Tex-Edit" contextual menu nor my
"Send to Download Deputy" contextual menu works in Mozilla, but they do
in IE, and I use both almost every day via FinderPop.
In fact, if I could use my contextual menu items with Mozilla, I
would be tempted to delete IE from my Mac, thus making it totally
Microsoft free.
Hi Vince,
Thanks for the report on WaMCom. Mozilla (especially
OS X FireFox) is the fastest browser for the Mac in my experience.
I just spent a week with Mozilla 1.7b, and it rocks. You're correct
that Mozilla development for the classic Mac OS has ceased.
I use iCab for other reasons than raw speed, but then
I usually have three or four browsers up and running (none of them IE
;-) ).
Charles
From: Ken Watanabe
Charles,
Regarding "things are not so flush on the classic Mac OS side, where
browser development has a essentially ground to a halt except for
iCab."
You missed one choice. I'm not surprised because it is relatively
unknown. There is an "unofficial" version of Mozilla (based on version
1.3.1 code) maintained by wamcom.org. You can read why this variant
exists at the developer's website. The important thing is that there is
a binary for the classic Mac OS (as well as for Mac OS X, Windows,
and Linux).
The last "official" Mozilla to support classic Mac OS was version
1.2.1. The last Netscape to support classic Mac OS was based on Mozilla
1.0.2. So WaMCom is (as far as I know) the latest version of Mozilla
available for the classic Mac OS (8.6 through 9.2). From my experience,
it is more refined and reliable than any of the Mozilla "betas" I have
tried. It is my default browser.
I hope the developer (I think it's mostly a one-person operation)
continues on with a further updated version of WaMCom based on a later
Mozilla code base.
To answer your question "Why Are Mac Users Still Surfing with
Internet Explorer?" Because most users (even Mac users) don't care
about the trying the latest and greatest. If it works, they'll keep
using it. It may have its faults, but IE is guaranteed to be the most
compatible with websites just by the fact that it is the most common
browser by far.
Other browsers have to adapt to the changing web. IE is unique in
that websites will (generally) work hard to ensure IE is well
supported. It the long run, this dependence on IE (now that it is
mostly unchanging) may hinder WWW evolution.
- Ken Watanabe
Hi Ken,
Thanks for another vote of confidence for WaMCom.
I agree with your comments. Personally, I find I'm
downloading a new browser version every couple of weeks or so, and I
try to keep current with what's happening in all the OS X browsers
at least.
I rarely (like virtually never) run into a website
that at least one of Mozilla/FireFox, Safari, or iCab can't handle.
Heck, dependence on Microsoft threatens the entire IT
evolution.
Charles
Mac Users Still Using IE
From Paul O'Keefe
Mr. Moore,
Many Mac users are still using Internet Explorer as their browser
for the simple reason that many user are still using OS 9 or
below. As you say, development for [classic] Mac OS browsers has all
but stalled.
It's all about the bookmarks. I'm using Panther at home, but I
haven't really switched to Safari, because there is no real easy way to
move my tons of bookmarks from IE. You can't import them on the fly.
The only time Safari says it imports IE bookmarks is during an upgrade
or system install.
I suppose I could reinstall Safari on my system, and then it would
recognize the IE bookmarks I imported from OS 9's IE to the OS X
IE beforehand. I'll try that out, but Apple should make it easier to
import bookmarks.
Paul O'Keefe, BDes
Hi Paul,
You can "import" IE Favorites to iCab by simply
copying the Favorites.html document from wherever it resides in the IE
preferences, renaming it Hotlist.html, and dragging it into the iCab
preferences folder.
Gives you at least one more option.
Charles
IE and Mac Users
From Thomas Babb & Evelyn Kutz
Some of us have no choice. I mostly use my Macs for online trading,
and the brokers offer no choice as to browser that will work on the
sites. I have been told to buy a Windows machine for better
compatibility.
Tom Babb
Hi Tom,
As I said in the article, "I suppose there is the odd
website that refuses to work with anything but IE."
Brain dead, Microsoft acolyte brokers! (IMHO
;-) )
Keep hanging in there.
Charles
Why IE?
From Eric Strobel
Charles,
With me, I've not upgraded from 10.2.4 yet, so I'd be limited to
Safari 1.0. I honestly don't know if that version would be an
improvement over IE. As for Netscape/Mozilla and their ilk, last time I
tried one of these (albeit on OS 9) it was a dismal failure.
Buggier by far than the old NS 4.7.x versions. Many (I daresay most)
web pages refused to load without requiring literally dozens of
attempts.
Although the OS X versions of these may work better - and in
fact, I've got NS 7.1 on here, and it is at least adequate for those
pages that claim to need Netscape - I refuse to trust anything Netscape
or that has the taint of Netscape, given their consistent history of
major bugs over the years.
I do keep iCab around as a backup as well, but aside from the better
download manager, it's still a little rough around the edges compared
to IE. I thought one had to pay for OmniWeb, which rules it out for me.
I've not yet tried Opera.
Oh, and I've tried tabbed browsing and fail to see what the big deal
is. I suppose it's better if you only keep a few pages open, but I
routinely go down through one or two news sites and will very quickly
be up to 20 windows open (via CMD-SHIFT-CLICKing the links). The tabbed
interface just doesn't handle that well. So, no, tabs are definitely
not the best thing since sliced bread. They represent (IMHO) a minor,
and not necessarily all that useful, UI improvement.
Mind you, when I get 'round to upgrading to Panther, I'll be giving
Safari a fair shake. And who knows, I may even give FireFox a try at some
point. But for now, IE, as old as it is, is pretty much the only good
alternative for me. Plus, having used it for so many years, it's
familiar and was one less jarringly new thing when I got this eMac and
decided to make the transition to OS X.
So, hopefully, I've answered 'why IE?', at least from my
perspective.
- Eric
Hi Eric,
You really owe it to yourself to try an up-to-date
version of the Mozilla browsers. If you're after stability and polish,
go for Mozilla 1.6 or the 1.7 beta (much faster). For raw speed, go for
FireFox (not bad for stability either). Both will work with your
current system.
Gotta disagree about tabbed browsing. I absolutely
can't stand to use a browser without it anymore. If I run out of
practical tab space I just open another window.
Charles
Netscape 7
From R. Friede
Hi Charles,
I clicked on the Netscape link in your excellent anti-IE piece and
found several English versions of NS 7. What's the difference
between the US version and the Canadian version in this case? Kinda
odd, eh?
Thx,
Bob Friede
Hi Bob,
I saw that too and wondered about it, but I haven't a
clue what the difference is.
Charles
Internet Explorer
From Kit Archie
There is just one reason why [IE] stays in my application folder:
Print preview, which gives me the ability to see and to manipulate a
document before you print it. No other browser has this feature! There
are many times when I don't care to print all the garbage that you
might get when printing from the Web.
Regards C. Archie
Hi Kit,
In that context you have a point. One area that
Microsoft applications do seem to excel at is printing. I very rarely
print anything to hard copy, so it's not an issue for me, but I can see
that it would be a convenience to use a browser that supported Print
Preview if you use that feature a lot.
Something for the other browser developers to
address.
Charles
Why Still Surfing with Internet
Explorer?
From Siu-Fai Tam
Hi Charles,
The answer is simple, at least for me. Try configuring a US Robotic
router, Linksys VPN, and other devices, and you will find that you can
do about 90% of the configuration - but not 100% - unless you are using
IE. This hampers the usability of a Mac as an admin tool in a mixed
environment.
So far I have been able to get away with using the old version of IE
on my Mac, but I suspect the day will come when IE 6 or higher is
required. That will force me to use Virtual PC to do configurations -
or use a PC. Not the optimal solution. Ideally the manufacturers of
these devices can fix their firmware so that IE is not required, but I
fear there is no incentive for them to do so. That means Safari and
other browsers will have to step up to bat. This is important if you
are doing this at a professional level, but I can see that people with
such devices at home will have the same problem. Often a person will
think that the device doesn't work, when in fact it's the fault of the
browser.
Recently, I started using a piece of software called 'BeyondTV' for
Windows on a stand alone PC. It's a TiVo-like software that has the
ability to setup recording, etc. via a web interface. There is sadly
nothing like it for the Mac, but I digress. Nothing but IE seems to
work completely with the web interface. Again, it's mostly there with
Safari and a bit better with Firefox.
If it's just viewing a page on a website, then it may not be a big
deal, but when it comes to configuring something, it becomes a big deal
when it doesn't work.
Anyway, here are just a few example that will cause problems for
someone using a Mac. It's entirely possible that my situation is
unique, but somehow I don't think so.
Thanks, for your time,
Siu-Fai
Hi Siu-Fai,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Indeed, the clock is running down on the Mac version
of IE. If site and software developers want Mac users' business, they
will have to step up to the plate, and desktop Linux is burgeoning as
well (with no IE version for Linux).
Charles
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