Browser Battle Deathmatch! Round 1: Internet Explorer vs. Safari

This is a battle between browsers! My plan:

Round 1: Internet Explorer 8 vs. Safari 5.0.8
Round 2: Winner of Round 1 vs. Firefox 4
Round 3: Winner of Round 2 vs. Opera 12.15
Round 4: Winner of Round 3 vs. Chrome 21.0.1180.90

This is Round 1: IE8 vs. Safari 5.0.8.

Usability

I find Safari easier to navigate in. Everything is readily available to you, around you. In Internet Explorer 8, a lot of things are hidden in menus (sometimes in menus!), which take the overall clutter out of the main page, giving it a great appearance, but can cause nuisances for people who are often changing settings. However, Safari has a few more options with this:

Result: Tie
Scores: IE: 1/2, Safari: 1/2


Tabs

Nothing with inventing tabs is relevant (Opera invented tabs). But I like how Safari can drag and drop tabs, rearrange them, open new ones, etc. As far as I know, Internet Explorer 8 cannot drag tabs into new windows. Criticize me if they can. I am a Mac user and has slight experience with Windows.

Result: Safari wins
Scores: IE: 1/2, Safari: 1 1/2

Launch Speed


Safari launches quickly, although IE takes a while to. I can argue on uncluttered systems, IE would open up faster than Safari. However on cluttered systems, Safari may open up faster, but I could argue IE even gets Safari on this.

Result: Internet Explorer wins
Scores: IE: 1 1/2, Safari: 1 1/2
Reset to IE 0, Safari 0 (because they are the same)

Plugins

Apple and Microsoft only offer half a handful of extensions and add-ons. Accessing IE add-ons is easy but Apple may have less. Who knows? They're also known for not having many plugins!


Result: Tie
Scores: RESET TO IE 0, SAFARI 0

Performance

Performance with the Peacekeeper benchmark has IE better than Safari.


Result: Internet Explorer wins
Scores: IE: 1, Safari: 0

Security

Security problems are often raised by Microsoft's ActiveX controls. Apple does not use ActiveX, so arguably Microsoft would be less secure.


Result: Safari wins
Scores: IE: 1, Safari: 1
Reset to IE: 0, Safari: 0

This is a tie... Hmm, what should we do?


According to many critics, Safari wins. Sorry, Microsoft, but if you can get over security and extensions and all that stuff, you could win in the 2014 death match!

Next episode: Safari 5 vs. Firefox 4!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!