14 DAY TRIAL // Two new builds of the Safari web browser for desktop computers are available for download via the paid developer program, with Apple asking testers to focus their coding skills on general web site compatibility and extensions.
According to a person who is familiar with the seed notes, the California tech giant is offering Safari 7.0.4 for OS X Mavericks, requiring the latest seed of OS X 10.9.3, as well as Safari 6.1.4 for OS X Lion 10.7.5 with Security Update 2013-002 and Safari 6.1.4 for OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.5.
Apple hasn’t yet offered these new Safari builds to registered public testers, but the seed notes include a link to the OS X Beta Seed Program for end customers. Developers are told to focus testing on general web site compatibility and extension compatibility, according to this person.
Bug reporting is encouraged, as always, and developers are urged to be as specific as possible when submitting a bug report.
“This build is being provided to you for testing and development purposes,” Apple states. “Should you encounter any problems, please submit a bug report using the online Bug Reporter at http://bugreporter.apple.com/. Please make sure to include ‘Safari 7.0.4’ in the bug title and description.”
“Please also include the build number in your description (in the Safari menu, select ‘About Safari;’ the build number is available there in parentheses. For example, ‘Version 7.0.4 (7537.76.2).’ This information will ensure that your bug is processed quickly.”
Testers are further told to include a summary, the steps required to reproduce the bug, the actual and expected results of their testing, as well as the System Profile report, SysDiagnose, and other relevant information that they regard as to enable Apple to solve an issue. Developers also need to pay attention and clarify if a certain bug is actually a regression from previously shipped builds.
A slightly different bug reporting procedure needs to be undertaken when an issue is discovered in full-screen mode. For instance, which bars are visible before and after entering full-screen. Crashing bugs, kernel panics, and hanging issues will require even more information to be offered by the tester.
With OS X 10.9.3 development seemingly drawing to a close, we can expect these new Safari builds to emerge relatively soon. Apple usually offers these updates in tandem, and by the looks of it, customers could be seeing these new releases appear in the Mac App Store’s update tab as early as today or tomorrow.