Will a web browser be hard-coded into OS X?
I know this question may cause a lot of controversy, but do you think Apple will code a web browser into the Finder, so when you open up a window, you can type in an address at the top, much like you do for a search, and it will go right onto the net?
This is a Windows-esque idea, I know. But I'm just curious if this is an option, or a separate i-App.
This is a Windows-esque idea, I know. But I'm just curious if this is an option, or a separate i-App.
Comments
No way in hell Apple would do something that stupid. They may in fact develop a browser based on Mozilla at some point, but it will be a standalone app most likely.
Putting this functionality directly into the Finder, though, would be a Bad Thing?.
[ 10-28-2002: Message edited by: Brad ]</p>
I sure as heck do NOT want any web browser built into my OS. I got OUT of Windows to get AWAY from this. I like the Mac way of having everything in separate apps. I like separate Email, Browser and Instant Messaging apps. Which is partly why I don't use Mozilla anymore. (It wouldn't let me use another email app for email. Stupid POS. So I use Chimera.)
I like having Preview separate to view JPG's, GIF's, PDF's, etc.
I like having Chimera seaprated from the OS. I don't need it running when I don't need it to be.
Thank you, Apple, for not doing what Microsoft does.
Finder and Internet Explorer/Chimera do not belong together. So don't put them together.
</RANT>
That said, Apple will only hardcode a browser into the Finder after their last competent programmer leaves.
I ran into that "feature" at work the other day: I made the mistake of using the little path field at the top of an Explorer window to change to a new path, and I ended up with an unusably small browser pointed at some garish, cluttered MSN page, and a half-dozen popup ads on my desktop. I wanted a directory on my local drive, not far from the directory the window had displayed.
Microsoft's approach is dumb on almost every level, from a development and maintenance standpoint to a user interface standpoint, and just about everywhere in between. Apple can and will do better: For starters, they can keep the Finder specialized at finding files, and leave Web navigation to something specialized for that. No matter what, it will not be hardcoded deep into the OS. That might make it run fast, but it also makes Windows blue screen (no error, just a pure blue screen) when I drag a text file from a network drive to a local directory... sometimes. <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />
[ 10-28-2002: Message edited by: Amorph ]</p>
<strong>if it only accesses the internet when a webpage is entered then it shouldn't be "running when you dont want it to be"</strong><hr></blockquote>
Network File System URL example: file://localhost/chucker/Documents/foo/bar.txt
Network HTTP URL example: <a href="http://somehost/foo/bar.txt"; target="_blank">http://somehost/foo/bar.txt</a>;
See the problem? As soon as HTTP URL's work in the Finder, there's no more reason for not also adding support to FTP URL's, mailto URI's, File URL's, and so on. Which will create a mess.
Apple should neither bother making the Finder the fault known as Windows 98, nor should they waste time on trying to improve their rendering engine. There is only one rendering engine out there that's nearly "complete": Gecko.
<strong>
But apple is so good at taking theories that have failed previously, and/or are the root of a minor contraversy and then capitolizing on it and perfecting it. If they took on the project of integrating a web browser into the finder, I have faith that apple would be able to pull it off flawlessly and with many features we would drool over. You forget... This is not microsoft we are talking about.
- Xidius</strong><hr></blockquote>
I doubt it. No really. iTunes may be slightly integrated (rip.mix.burn) but other than that, every app serves for a single purpose.
They even made Sherlock internet-only (finally).
This idea of making one thing have multiple uses is not really their philosphy. I think if they add more web browsing, they would add it to Sherlock, or make it relate more to that. Apple doesn't much like swiss army knife apps. They make many apps for specific functions, not many functions for specific apps.
[ 10-28-2002: Message edited by: BuonRotto ]</p>
Why would you want to open a web page in a window that previously referred to your Applications directory? Also, given the immense complexity of handling the modern Web, with the concomitant stability and security problems, you want to isolate that task into its own space.
If anything, Apple's going the other way, and setting up more than one app to handle the Web, e.g. Sherlock. As I've said in other threads like this one, Apple would be best served by shipping frameworks that made integrating the web into applications (as with Sherlock and Watson) standard and easy. They already have a JavaScript engine; I look forward to more.
But not, I repeat not, a Finder/web browser. For one thing, they have a lot of work to do to get the current Finder up to speed before they make it an order of magnitude more complicated; for another, there's no analogy between browsing a directory of files and browsing the Web. MS' integration is a hack they shoehorned in because of the antitrust trial. It's not something they thought through from an interface point of view.
Being a web design I think I should know a little bit about web browsers and such and even I find this concept utterly hellish, however I adore how apple have put a beautiful format like pdf built in.
<strong>As I've said in other threads like this one, Apple would be best served by shipping frameworks that made integrating the web into applications (as with Sherlock and Watson) standard and easy. They already have a JavaScript engine; I look forward to more.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Actually, on a more perfunctory level, AppleWorks 6 started to use this concept, albeit in a half-baked way. The simple idea to have web connectivity to templates, clipart, etc. in the AppleWorks "Starting Points" and other places in the application was really a good idea, and exactly a non-browser benefit of having internet (not really web per se) access. I'd like to see more of this kind of thing in other applications, including iPhoto (HomePage and Book layouts), iCal (Calendars, duh, but within the app, like how other apps can check for updates or "buy products' relating to them), etc.
The Web's biggest strength is its function as a service venue, which would not require a web browser, just data on a network and the ability to "decode" it locally. We've spoken before about bringing the internet into applications as opposed to bringing applications to the internet...
The Finder, to find your files.
The Explorer, to explor for your files
don't you think finder sounds like its simpler to find ur files?
I think it's cool.
<a href="http://www.spymac.com/gallery/data/510/255webinfinder.jpg"; target="_blank">http://www.spymac.com/gallery/data/510/255webinfinder.jpg</a>;
<a href="http://www.spymac.com/gallery/data/510/255finderbrowser.jpg"; target="_blank">http://www.spymac.com/gallery/data/510/255finderbrowser.jpg</a>;
Now tell me that isn't cool. if it only accesses the internet when a webpage is entered then it shouldn't be "running when you dont want it to be"
- Xidius
<hr></blockquote>
Xidius, those SpyMac pics look like someone customized the icons in OmniWeb. It's simple to do, and those icons are all availible elsewhere in the System folder. They turned off the Address bar and favorites bar, and set the toolbar to "Icon Only."
Not to accuse you or anything.
[ 10-29-2002: Message edited by: CubeDude ]</p>
<strong>Sorry I was just reading this and i thought; what a choice of names apple and MS chose.
The Finder, to find your files.
The Explorer, to explor for your files
don't you think finder sounds like its simpler to find ur files?</strong><hr></blockquote>
NeXTstep was even more specific: "Workspace Manager" Too techy-sounding, but I think it gives you a little perspective on where these guys are coming from, and how they see the role of the Finder.
<strong>PC are way faster on the internet period, maybe it cause java sucks on a mac anyone know?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Urr. You don't make sense there. Maybe your browser is flawed?