Mike Elgan writes an article at Computerworld about how Apple has missed the mark with Windows users in its Safari 3 beta release last week.
I think saying that Safari on Windows will fail is a little extreme.
Firstly, I think it will gain users, probably not at the expense of Firefox and other alternative browsers as Steve Jobs' awkward keynote slides presented. I do believe some of the growth will come at the expense of Firefox - people who have chosen Firefox have proven that they are willing to consider alternatives and install them, which makes them easier targets than a lot of IE users.
Secondly, I think the Safari team will address a lot of the issues that people see with it today. The Safari team is highly motivated and highly organized, and they have the means to make the changes necessary to better support Windows users. All they need is the will.
As for the icy greeting - part of the problem I think is in the way Apple has pitched it - arrogantly as the best browser in the world now on Windows and available now, rather than as a developer preview and a way to develop apps for iPhone - I think people are reacting extremely negatively to this, especially those in the blogging world who have the means to switch to a new Mac but choose not to because they like Windows better.
As it improves in stability and functionality, I think Safari will carve out a piece of the Windows pie for itself. Not every user utilizes or even appreciates the nearly infinite opportunities for customization via extensions that Firefox offers. Some people just want a simple, fast, appropriately featured browsing alternative to IE, and I think Safari has the potential a solid competitor in that space.
More ideas at the table is a good thing. To the extent that Safari on Windows provides that, not just in its UI but also with its promising WebKit renderer, then I think that is a good thing. Welcome, Apple!
