Stainless adds Chrome-like functionality to new Mac browser beta

by Angela Gunn

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Download Stainless 0.1 beta for Mac OS X Leopard from FileForum now.

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It may not be Mr. Right, as browsers go, but for Mac users who may be craving Google Chrome and who can't wait for the port-over, Stainless makes a case for being Mr. Right Now.

Mesa Dynamics is quick to describe its new beta multi-process browser as simply a technology demo -- a chance to show off the multi-processing technique its developers use in Hypercube, its popular widget-to-desktop wrangler.

Chrome, according to the Google Chromium development page, will use a WebCore-rendered bitmap to pass data between the browser and the necessary rendering processes. It should be speedy (and memory friendly), but it's not cooked yet -- according to Google's dev page, its developers are still building single-process projects to test the architecture.

Stainless, on the other hand, is a bit less fancy in how it utilizes memory, but if you're running Leopard, it's a download away. The beta -- Leopard users only, please -- demonstrates some of the functionality many believe we'll see in Chrome for Mac, using one-process-per-tab multiprocessing architecture to promote better memory behavior and, in theory, greater stability. There's a private-browsing mode, and the ability to drag and drop tabs between windows -- a pleasant feature especially for those who prefer their browsing to be an orderly experience.

And could you, should you commit to trying to turn Mr. Right Now into your one true browser? Don't give your heart away: Alas, though the company says they've got some clever ideas for managing downloads, bookmarks and browsing histories, there's no plan by Mesa Dynamics to convert Stainless into anything more than a charming browser fling -- or, perhaps, a chance to get to know its older sibling Hypercube a little better.

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