Shiira Test Drive

Here's a tidbit of information most folks don't realize:

Apple makes a web browser called Safari. This isn't the part no one realizes. The part no one realizes is that Safari is built around a web framework originally written for a linux project called Konqueror. That is: Given the nature of open source projects like Konqueror, other folks can come along and use them and even make money off them. I don't think Apple's making money off of Safari, though it is a nice browser, and an enticement to use Mac OS X.

But the point here is that, in the same spirit as that of Konqueror, Apple didn't just write a web browser, they created a framework which other software developers could use within their own programs. In theory, you see, some enterprising people could come along and use the Safari framework, known as the Web Kit, to build a whole other web browser. It would be at least as good as Safari under the hood, and would improve whenever Apple improved the framework.

And guess what? Someone did. It's another open source project called Shiira.

As you might expect with a Safari clone project, the purpose is to improve on the user interface. And if you're a fan of tabbed web browsing, they have.

There's a switchable 'browsing mode,' which allows you to set all links to open as a new tab or in a new background tab (exactly the sort of thing I want when I'm browsing ebay). There's also a little plus (+) mark next to the visible tabs, allowing you to open a new blank tab.

But my favorite is this: Open links within selected text to new tabs.

I like this software.