Apple, Safari, and Keyword Searches

One of the things I've gotten used to in browser-land is the ability to do keyword searches in a browser's address field. For instance, opening Firefox and typing g XKCD would search Google for XKCD. I know every browser by now has a little search bar right next to the address bar, but this is just something that makes my life a bit faster, and I've grown used to it.

For some reason, though, Apple has decided not to include this capability in Safari. Firefox has it natively. Opera has it natively. I don't know about Chrome. Safari does not.

Now, I recently got back into Safari after Apple released the beta of Safari 4. I downloaded it. It's nice. I could get used to using it, but first I had to solve the keyword search problem for it to be a browser I could use.

After much searching of the Tubes, I came across GLIMS. This is special in that it actually worked with the Safari 4 beta immediately; no waiting for the software community to catch up. It made me happy.

So, if you, like me, require keyword searches, go pick it up.