Safari is underwhelming

I installed Safari on my Vista computer this morning. Unlike on my XP computer, it installed with no hitches. Quicktime logos were sprawled all over the place and all was well.

I opened up the new browser from the uber-cool Apple Inc and waited for the browser to detect my settings from Internet Explorer such as favourites and default home page. Of course it didn't do this because Safari knows I want my home page to be the Apple web site and that now I am a Safari user I will want to start again with a new set of favourite web sites.

I dare say I could have imported them but that was a bad start. Apple should make things idiot proof - like Mozilla do when installing Firefox or Thunderbird.

Anyway the browser shows web pages. Like Internet Explorer or Firefox.

The most striking thing, apart from its inability to read JavaScript correctly, is the font smoothing thing it has going on. Sub-pixel rendering I think it is called - whereby the edges of fonts are not just white or black but various shades of grey to make letters look smoother. Windows XP has had it for years and has continued it with Vista. On many monitors it does improve the look of, particularly small, text. On Safari it looks like they have let the 5 year old in with the bold button.

The browser is no better looking, faster, more stable or more secure than other browsers. I have uninstalled it.