Apple's Safari Browser Sizzles On Windows

I've been using Apple's Safari Web browser on my Macintosh laptop for almost two years. On the Mac platform, Apple's browser worked acceptably well. I found its built-in RSS support, bookmark organization capacities and toolbars and performance fine. However, I sometimes encountered trouble trying to get Java applets (such as Yahoo Chess) to play well with Safari.

So, when I heard Apple was releasing a Safari beta for Windows last week, I was curious. I ended up downloading and installing the Windows beta the day it came out in order to complete a media assignment.

I must admit to being surprised at just how quickly Safari loads pages within Windows. I conducted unscientific studies. Basically I visited five different frequently viewed Web sites using the three leading browsers (Internet Explorer 7, Firefox 2.0 and Safari 3.0 Beta) and timed how long each page required to load completely. Safari loaded pages more quickly hands down. There were no exceptions.

As a result, I've begun using Safari exclusively on my XP and Vista systems. Time will tell if the browser's really ready for prime time (as I haven't yet had an opportunity to hammer more technically complex Web sites). But as time allows, I'll report back on the experiences I encounter. Meanwhile, the beta's looking really good.