Why does Safari 5.0.1 update require a restart?

[timg]

It's just a browser, no?

Didn't Microsoft get in a bunch of trouble tying the browser into the operating system like that?

[silvarios]

WebKit, the underlying framework, is also getting an update. Hence the restart.

MS was a monopoly trying to leverage their desktop monopoly into the web browsing space. Not the same issue as Apple with OS X. By the way, KDE does the same thing with Konqueror which of course is Safari's distant cousin (KHTML). Unfortunately, Apple decided the best way to roll out Webkit updates is with the Safari applications itself. Ideally, Webkit could be updated separately from Safari.


Nathan

[silvarios]

Of course, you don't have to actually use Safari for anything, it just needs to be there for WebKit updates. Besides the inconvenience of a restart (which would happen even if WebKit updated separately from Safari), you can leave it be. I'm using Safari 5.0.1 on my iBook G4 and everything is running smoothly, but this Mac is not my main computer. My MacBook has iCab and Opera for my primary browsers.


Nathan

[Racer X]

will it REALLY kill you to restart once a month or so?

[Article Accelerator]

timg wrote:
It's just a browser, no?

No.

As other have pointed out, the WebKit framework has also been updated. It is widely used in Mac OS X, including Mail, TextEdit, iWeb, Dictionary, Dashboard, iTunes, and more.