Apple Safari browser now available for Windows

[Larwee]

Windows users can now use the Safari browser from Apple. Right now Safari has about 5 percent of the world's browser market share. One reason for Apple making Safari availabe to Windows users is to try to get more people interested in their Macintosh computers.

The Safari browser is in beta. According to Apple it is the fastest browser around on any platform. Apple says Safari loads pages up to 2 times faster than Internet Explorer 7 and up to 1.6 times faster than Firefox 2.

They also say it executes JavaScript up to 2.8 times faster than Internet Explorer 7 and up to 1.6 times faster than Firefox 2.

All of this is from testing done by Apple, which also says performance will vary based on system configuration, network connection, and other factors.

Safari is available for Macintosh or Windows. The Windows requirements are:
Windows XP or Vista
At least 256MB of RAM
500Mhz Pentium-class processor or better

Here is an Apple link where you can scroll down and see a demonstration of Safari. You may also read about the Safari features as well as download Safari Apple - Safari 3 Public Beta

[Larwee]

Security experts and users were quick to find numerous bugs in Safari shortly after Apple released this beta browser for Windows.

It is said to have remote code execution bugs and denial of service bugs. A "zero day" exploit was also found.

Some security experts are expecting to see some of the vulnerabilities targeted because in the past Apple has had a negative attitude towards security researchers, according to some security researchers.

Some believe Apple rushed this browser out too quickly but will have fixes for the security problems fairly quickly. But, remember it is beta.

Most agree that Safari is fast, but it is also a memory hog.

Here are a few articles with more details:

Technology News: Security: Security Testers Spot Bugs Galore on Windows Safari

Safari for Windows Beta Hammered for Being Beta || The Mac Observer

More Safari bugs found after Windows release - News - SC Magazine Australia

PC Pro: Product Reviews: Apple Safari 3 beta