Step up Apple...

[mightyjlr]

By now alot of you have probably heard the HUGE problems with Safari. For many users Option clicking a download link will erase a users home directory if the "remove download list items" preference is not set to manual. Many other people have reported printing not working after they install Safari due to some files being deleted. Neither of these things has happened to me, but it has happened to ALOT of people. Obviously this is beta software and these things happen, but Apple needs to post something on the Safari download page about this and fix it as soon as possible. Any loss of data caused by an application is inexcusable. I love Safari, it is my default browser now since I haven't had any problems with it, and it is very very fast. These problems need to be fixed immediately however, letting this go too long will be a huge embarassment.

[Inline_guy]

I like it. No problems with me!

Matthew

[edX]

i think it's great that you posted this here to let people know. however, i don't think i see the need for apple to put up big warning signs on every page of their site for a problem with beta software. Beta means use at your own risk and all beta users should be aware of that. if you're not ready to take the risk, you shouldn't be using it. no doubt apple will fix this as soon as possible if it is really something caused by safari, and not by system hacking by other parties. even then, i'm sure apple would attempt to fix it if they can. i am sure apple will not emabarrass you in front of your wintel friends who are still waiting for all their security holes to be patched and who often lose a file or a drive while using non-beta software or opening a virus infected file.

so now everybody knows - don't option click a download link in safari.

[mightyjlr]

Originally posted by edX
i think it's great that you posted this here to let people know. however, i don't think i see the need for apple to put up big warning signs on every page of their site for a problem with beta software. Beta means use at your own risk and all beta users should be aware of that. if you're not ready to take the risk, you shouldn't be using it. no doubt apple will fix this as soon as possible if it is really something caused by safari, and not by system hacking by other parties. even then, i'm sure apple would attempt to fix it if they can. i am sure apple will not emabarrass you in front of your wintel friends who are still waiting for all their security holes to be patched and who often lose a file or a drive while using non-beta software or opening a virus infected file.

so now everybody knows - don't option click a download link in safari.

i don't think they need to put up big warning signs all over their site at all..... they do NEED to put something up on the Safari download page though, at least until the problem is fixed. beta or no beta... we are talking about your HOME directory here. basically all of the important data I have on my computer is in this folder. if Safari deleted a system folder, I could always reinstall Jaguar and the problem would be fixed. if it deleted an application, same thing. not so for my home folder, although my REALLY important data is backed up, there are about 10 gigs of data there that isn't.

[bbloke]

Just a quick note. There is a discussion thread at Apple about the issue concerning the deletion of home directories, which can be found at:

http://discussions.info.apple.com/We...7G.0@.3bbdb9d6

One user has reported that running Disk Repair has brought back their "deleted" files, so before users fear the worst and reinstall, they should obviously try Disk Repair First (and possibly repairing privileges)!

[fryke]

On another note:

a) Organise your computer in a way that you can backup vital stuff. Myself, I have an external 60G Firewire drive on which I backup my home folder at least once a week. If you tend to have too much in your home folder, you can make a separate folder (outside your user's folder) for all the crap that you gather over time. As pointed out earlier, you can always reinstall Mac OS X from the original CD and applications from their original CDs as well.

b) Make sure you don't have your machine on autologin, and make sure that at least a second admin user (better: the root user) can login. Also, make users login with login/pass instead of clicking an icon, as 'root' doesn't show up as an icon. If you screw up your home folder (and there are other ways to do so than Safari's bugs), you're always glad you can still login to the machine easily and graphically as another admin user.

[kendall]

Why do people make excuses for Apple when several critical flaws have been found in their software, beta or not?

If this was Microsoft, you people would be tearing them apart.

Bottom line is, Apple has released beta software that it advertises on its mainpage for everyone to download. There is no risk implied by Apple for downloading Safari. At least none that I can easily find.

Anyway, I could go on but I just find the excuses and work arounds comical.

[Captain Code]

If you read the agreement when installing the beta software you will see that it says use at your own risk.

It's not their fault that no one reads the agreements.