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April 24, 2007

software

Shiira 2.0 is real shiny

Posted Apr. 24, ’07, 9:43 AM PT by Derik DeLong
Category | Software

Shiira Shiira is a browser based off Apple’s WebKit, just as OmniWeb is. However, it’s also open source and based out of Japan. The 1.x versions of the browser were nice, but nothing in particular really grabbed me. Back when we were treated to a preview of 2.0, my interest was piqued, but I made a conscious decision to avoid the betas and wait for the final.

The final was released yesterday (or Sunday, as I saw on their website). However, the version I downloaded last night was severely broken. As such, I decided it must have been a mistake. Then today, I downloaded again because it seemed to really be the final, but as soon as I launched what I downloaded, the built-in Sparkle software update mechanism found another update. Strange to say the least. Now the site is back to claiming beta status.

I’m tired of second guessing if the 2.0 final is released or not. Here’s what I like:

  • Horizontal tab drawer - It’s like OmniWeb’s thumbnail tabs, but at a different angle, which works beautifully on a Powerbook 12”.
  • HUD Panels - Beautiful see-through windows for manipulating things like history and bookmarks.
  • Full Screen - Sometimes I really do want full screen mode. This implementation is slick.
  • Use the bookmarks bar from Safari or Firefox. I don’t like maintaining all these separate bookmarks files. This helps, if only a little bit.
  • Click and hold for context menu. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but good for a few (and you can turn it off).
  • Tabspose - With a single keystroke, break your tabs out into separate Expose-like breakdowns to find that page.
  • Print page as PDF option. I use this constantly in other browsers through the print dialog (I like removing a step).
  • It’s fast (but that may change over time).

Here’s what I don’t like. It’s clearly still a beta. I have no idea what’s going on with their website. The final is released one moment, not the next. Maybe they wanted to release for the Apple Design Awards (seeing as yesterday was the cutoff). However, every version I’ve downloaded has been broken in one way or another. Using Safari for the bookmarks bar hasn’t worked with any of the versions (but did in the 1.x versions).

I want to believe, I really do. Unfortunately, it looks like Shiira isn’t quite ready for primetime yet.


3 Comments

nick said:

agreed. looks awesome, really would like this to be my primary browers cause its beautiful and tabspose is amazing, but it definatley is broken. i could nvere actually quit it (it would say 'unexpectedly quit') and it took alot of jiggering to get the bookmark bar to work. most annoying: i couldnt change the name of a new bookmark folder, it would just say 'untitled' with no way to change it (believe me, i tried)

April 24, 2007 10:14 AM
Pino said:

You should download the 2.0 version from the Japanese site (not from the English one).
Even if you don't understand Japanese (I don't) you quickly recognize where to click ;)
For me it works perfectly.

April 24, 2007 2:16 PM
Kelmon said:

While I certainly agree that the browser still feels very much like a beta product the aspect of it that annoys me the most is the closed nature of what is supposed to be an open-source project. There's no community to this browser and the forum that does exist is unmoderated and full of spam. I have tried in the past to contact the developers in order to try and hep with the community aspect, which I believe is important, but have never received a response back. Given this I have rather given up interest in this browser and will stick with Camino, which seems to be run much better as a project.

April 25, 2007 4:38 AM

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