Homepage Opinions Wanted

[jparker402]

I continue to have problems using MSN.com as my homepage on my MacBook Air with Safari. The latest problem, which I have reviewed with Apple and with users on a unrelated forum, is that the cursor does not work correctly when typing in the search bar. To make any correction I basically have to start over. For instance, if I type in "The Cow", then put the cursor back in front of the C to add Brown, it ends up being "The BCowrown". And deleting backwards does the same thing in reverse. From others' comments, this is happening on MSN.com with other search engines. And everything points to Microsoft who I can't get ahold of to address the problem (not that they would if I could contact them). Basically I start off my computer sessions on MSN.com to review the various news sections before going off on searches. And I am very used to MSN.com's layout. What would be a reasonable alternative to use on my MacBook Air with Safari?

 

[0128672]

Here's another recent thread about the same issue using the Bing search bar:

can only type one letter at a time in safari search

if i type something in the safari search bar, then want to go back and add another work or words somewhere in that text, i can only add one letter at a time... then the cursor jumps to then end. then i have to go back and add another letter, etc. is there a way to change this? (it doesn't...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[jparker402]

My experience is with the MSN.com search bar. Apple Assistance had me switch to Yahoo while troubleshooting, and the problem went away. Came back to MSN.com, and the problem came back. Did not try Bing on the Mac. Do have Bing on my iPhone, but have not tried to duplicate this there. Member of a non-computer forum suggested Chrome, but, reading other articles here, think Chrome does not have a good reputation for us with the Mac.

 

[jparker402]

But wait! My problem is with MSN.com which I have as a home page. The problem is not in Safari, which is a search engine, I think. Yahoo is a home page. What is Chrome; a home page or a search engine?

 

[jz0309]

But wait! My problem is with MSN.com which I have as a home page. The problem is not in Safari, which is a search engine, I think. Yahoo is a home page. What is Chrome; a home page or a search engine?

you got things mixed up ...
Safari is a browser
Chrome is a browser
Google is a search engine
Bing is a search engine
There are plenty more browsers and search engines out there ...

ANY webpage can also be a homepage, it is YOUR option to set whichever webpage to be your homepage.
Chrome is historically more "power hungry", thus impacting battery life, that's the key reason why people don't like it.
if msn.com doesn't work properly in Safari, just use something else as your homepage, there are plenty alternatives ...

 

[jparker402]

jz0309, you have hit the nail on the head, I find! It seems that I do NOT know the distinction between browsers, search engines or home pages! I went to something on the web to try to find comparative definitions and to YouTube for a tutorial, and have come away lost! I do not know what I am using! All I know for sure right now is that I am on a MacBook Air that says Safari up in the upper left corner of the screen just now and says MSN/Outlook, Office, Skype, Bing, B... as my first tab. I will come back to this when I finally figure it out.

 

[Pakaku]

Why have a search engine home page? Practically every modern web browser will let you put in a search in the URL bar. It’s actually a lot less distracting to me to just not have a home page at all, just leave it blank, like starting a new document in a text editor.

 

[Fishrrman]

I agree with Pakaku.

I've never used "a home page" since I began using OS X back in 2004.
I found that to be distracting and definitely NOT what I wanted when I opened Safari or any other browser or a new page. So...

All my browsers open with a "blank" page -- an empty canvas.
Same with subsequent new pages I open.

When you go to make notes on a piece of paper, you don't start with one that's already filled with writing (at least I don't). One wants "a blank page", to which YOU add the content.

If you've never used Safari this way, try it...

 

[TechRunner]

I use Yahoo! as my homepage, but it really isn't a great experience. I've just gotten so used to seeing it...I should probably just set Weather.com as my home page, as that's the first thing I usually check in the morning.

 

[Mousse]

I suggest using a blank page as the homepage and bookmark MSN.com. Open MSN.com in a new tab, ruminate and switch over to the blank homepage for searches. Another option would be setting the new tab to open a blank page instead of the homepage. Check out MSN.com, then open a new tab for searches.

The second option might suit the OP better.