The debate is still on about why Apple Inc. decided to develop a version of its Safari browser for Windows.

One of the most popular ideas online -- though one that doesn't appear to be widely supported in the analyst community -- is that Apple hopes to use its age-old rival, Microsoft Corp., to boost its revenues.

Offering Safari to Windows users could significantly increase the number of Safari users, and that larger user base could translate into revenue for Apple because some browser makers have revenue sharing deals with search engines, says John Gruber, writer of the popular Daring Fireball blog. Search providers like Google Inc. reportedly split with browser makers the advertising revenue generated when browser users type search terms in the bar embedded in the browser.

Gruber's suggestion has spread wildly across the Web, with bloggers and mainstream publications as far flung as the BBC picking up on the idea.

It's difficult, however, to confirm Gruber's suggestion.

Google declined to comment on any such arrangements that it might have with browser partners. Mozilla Corp., however, has said that it earns a significant portion of its revenue from the search bar in its browser. In its official company blog, Mozilla's CEO Mitchell Baker wrote last year: "We are very fortunate in that the search feature in Firefox is both appreciated by our users and generates revenue in the tens of millions of dollars." Firefox comes with Google as the default in the search bar and users can change that to five other options including Yahoo and Answers.com.

Mozilla didn't respond to additional questions about how exactly it earns revenue from the search bar. Apple did not reply to questions about a potential revenue share with search providers. Safari users can choose Yahoo or Google to run the search bar.

Microsoft Corp. doesn't have any kind of compensation deals with search engine providers or other browser makers based on users who set Windows Live Search as the default search engine or based on users who set other search engines as the default in Internet Explorer, a company spokesperson said.

Google could very well have a similar deal with Apple as it may have with Mozilla, said Michael Gartenberg, an analyst at Jupiter Research.

The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.