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I'm getting kind of sick about hearing about how browser X outperforms browser Y in Z JavaScript performance test. It's good to know that the browser developers

I'm getting kind of sick about hearing about how browser X outperforms browser Y in Z JavaScript performance test. It's good to know that the browser developers are continuing to push JS performance--it's important that it gets better and better--but essentially every browser except maybe IE (haven't used it in years, can't speak to it) has comparable real-world JS performance. I choose to use Safari because it's the browser that feels the most Mac-like, has ClickToFlash and 1Password, has great H.264 video performance, has a great interface, continues to support the newest web standards, never crashes, and is already familiar to me. As long as it isn't horrendously slower than other browsers, JS performance just isn't a concern to me--it has little real effect on my day to day browsing compared to everything I just listed.

crad 16y ago
The reason why I did this was because Apple is touting Safari 5 as being "The Worlds Fastest Browser" and specifically said "Powered by the Nitro JavaScript engine, Safari 5 on the Mac runs JavaScript up to 30 percent faster than Safari 4, 3 percent faster than Chrome 5.0," http://www.apple.com/safari/whats-new.html#performance http://www.apple.com/safari/whats-new.html#performance
- grantheaslip 16y ago
  It more of a meta-comment about the genre of articles that yours loosely fit under :). I missed the fact that you were actually referencing a claim made by Apple--sorry for jumping to conclusions!
stuntmouse 16y ago
It's important for resource-constrained devices. Think netbooks and smartphones.
- grantheaslip 16y ago
  Smartphones yes (though many smartphone users don't have much choice as to browser, or at least rendering engine), but netbooks are an arguable case. I was referring more to people making their desktop browser choices based on benchmarks which have minimal, if any, effect on their day-to-day browsing. It seems like after every new browser release we get bombarded with "X desktop browser runs the SunSpider test faster than Y!" headlines, as if it's something that actually impacts people's browser choices.

crad 16y ago

The reason why I did this was because Apple is touting Safari 5 as being "The Worlds Fastest Browser" and specifically said "Powered by the Nitro JavaScript engine, Safari 5 on the Mac runs JavaScript up to 30 percent faster than Safari 4, 3 percent faster than Chrome 5.0," http://www.apple.com/safari/whats-new.html#performance http://www.apple.com/safari/whats-new.html#performance

grantheaslip 16y ago
It more of a meta-comment about the genre of articles that yours loosely fit under :). I missed the fact that you were actually referencing a claim made by Apple--sorry for jumping to conclusions!

stuntmouse 16y ago

It's important for resource-constrained devices. Think netbooks and smartphones.

grantheaslip 16y ago
Smartphones yes (though many smartphone users don't have much choice as to browser, or at least rendering engine), but netbooks are an arguable case. I was referring more to people making their desktop browser choices based on benchmarks which have minimal, if any, effect on their day-to-day browsing. It seems like after every new browser release we get bombarded with "X desktop browser runs the SunSpider test faster than Y!" headlines, as if it's something that actually impacts people's browser choices.