Q: what does the question mark mean on an application

If the Safari browser is present in the Applications folder, you may try to

launch it from there and then when its icon appears in the Dock, click on

it while holding the control key (to see what -or if- a sub-menu w/options)

as there was an option to keep the item in the Dock in the sub-menu.

• Mac Basics: The Dock holds your favorite apps ... - Apple Support

support.apple.com/en-us/HT201730

• How to make icons stay in the dock - Mac OS X Hints

Mar 28, 2001: If you want an application's icon to stay in the dock, even after you have quit it,

you must click and hold on the application's icon, until a menu appears. Then select 'Keep in

Dock' from that menu.

Or if you can see the Safari is in Applications, drag its icon into the Dock.

The blank ? icon may be removed if you can locate the sub-menu. Yet:

the older Mac OS X systems had fewer options to control Dock in this way.

Given the iBook G4 as 'Mid 2005' version did not ship with Panther 10.3.x

and the model which did, was known as 'Late 2004' model. In either case

the browser would be obsoleted & rejected by several modern web sites.

The latest OS X supported by your iBook would depend on the CPU speed;

for an iBook with 867MHz it could support Leopard 10.5.8; installed from a

retail Leopard 10.5 DVD. This could then use current 'TenFourFox' browser.

As my Mid 2005 iBook G4 12-inch 1.33GHz last model shipped with

Tiger 10.4(.11) I've recently returned it to Tiger from Leopard; harder to

find some of the software bits online, but did have some on local archive.

Also the original grey label system DVDs were a bit sketchy, though were

not blemished. Not all the included applications wanted to re-install.

And if you have the grey label original install CD or DVD media, there

may be a way to just get the Safari bits from there without running the

installer; I've used (in later OS X) a version of Pacifist from charlessoft

.com that can by-pass the installer & put files on desktop, then install

them without the installer. There are older versions from the maker site.

Hopefully one of the ideas above can work with Panther 10.3.9.

TenFourFox maker site has link to this older browser that may work:

Are you looking for a web browser for Mac OS 8.6-9.2.2

(compatible with 10.1.5-10.3.9)? Try our sister project, Classilla.

There are other older unsupported browsers that may not work

at all in Panther 10.3.9, but do somewhat in Tiger 10.4.11.

Not sure what to say. I'm finding browser issues in 10.4.11+10.5.8. PPC

Good luck & happy trails!

Not sure if you re-installed the Combo Update 10.3.9 for Panther, that it would

help restore the missing parts to Safari browser... I've not looked into the Apple

site all that much since they've stopped hosting earlier OS X parts & applications.

There used to be older Safari standalone downloads for pre 10.6 OS X.

Here's a link to get the Combo Update 10.3.9 from Apple Support:

Mac OS X Combined Update 10.3.9

If the Safari is still in the Applications folder but not in the Dock, restoring it there

should be easy. However it's not a valid browser as most old ones can't be used

for much on the modern internet with various newer security & limits added on.

There are some older vintage archived downloads for Tiger & Panther; & I see

there is a Safari for 10.3.9 listed in an internet utilities section too. Maybe this

page will have something you can use in your vintage OS X... Or it may be only

an update. Safari that I see says this version (link to compressed file)

Apple Safari Web Browser v1.3.1 for OS X 10.3.9

services catalog university of tx elpaso:

http://admin.utep.edu/Default.aspx?tabid=59

Good luck!