Opera, the Forgotten Browser - Page 3

Stuart · 27-01-2005, 01:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by dellwear

Because its full of adverts. Who's going to choose to look at more adverts on the net?

It has two lines of ads. They are easy to ignore (and certainly less obtrusive than the ads on most sites - including this one).

Richard M · 27-01-2005, 02:27

...but no ads are better..ask the OSS community.

www.mozilla.org

Boot note:
Articles like this make me feel all warm and fuzzy:
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.02/firefox.html

Shaun · 27-01-2005, 05:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by scastle

It has two lines of ads. They are easy to ignore (and certainly less obtrusive than the ads on most sites - including this one).

This site has ads??

I payed for NIS partly for the ad blocking capabilities, I want less ad's on my screen not more.

To be honest I cant get on with other browsers, I like IE as it just works. I don't have a problem with security, and I don;t have to spend ages learning where everything is again.

IE for me

27-01-2005, 08:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark B

Avant Browser is NOT a browser, it's just an IE skin.

I know that, but at least it has a pop-up blocker, a DECENT skin, and an ad blocker.

philip.j.fry · 27-01-2005, 10:10

I don't know what you're all arguing about when we all know that Lynx is the best browser anyway.

Bifta · 27-01-2005, 10:16

RichardM partaking in yet another browser argument, who'd have though it?

I'm not even going to bother, people have said it before but I'll reiterate it, if you don't like IE, fine, don't use it but don't keep constantly going on and on like an old woman about how great firefox is (and vice versa), it's personal preference and calling someone an "M$ fanboy" just because they prefer IE is a bit sad.

27-01-2005, 10:36

I presume the upcoming release of Opera will generate some more discussion - that it will read back to you

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4208751.stm

Nemesis · 27-01-2005, 10:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bifta

RichardM partaking in yet another browser argument, who'd have though it?

I'm not even going to bother, people have said it before but I'll reiterate it, if you don't like IE, fine, don't use it but don't keep constantly going on and on like an old woman about how great firefox is (and vice versa), it's personal preference and calling someone an "M$ fanboy" just because they prefer IE is a bit sad.

Well said, it is all down to personal preference from a users point of view. Richard's point is also true though. The standards should be exactly that, the browser(s) should interperet the code the same.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramrod

Just installed Maxthon as well--a very fast browser

But I still prefer IE as I know how to customize the toolbar myself with my own designs and I can customize the buttons with Y'z toolbar

... and this is personal preference and familiararity in action. If you had been using a.n.other browser for as long as IE, you would figure out how to do similar things within it.

This isn't any different to buying a car, we all have a personal preference to how big/small, fast/slow, etc. I don't agree with personal digs, just because of their preference. The all do the same job, some better than others.

The problem with Microsoft is not the products they build, but the methods they employ to "sell" them too you. Their domination of the software market has been largely based on their domination of the Operating System that most of us use, it's been a fantastic vehicle and platform for them to push more of their products. It's only been relatively recently that more people have become aware of the alternatives.

Lets not fight each other, we're human and fickle, keep it calm please

Ramrod · 27-01-2005, 11:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Incognitas

Have one of these.

[img]Download Failed (1)[/img]

Why, thank you

basa · 27-01-2005, 12:29

Just noticed this thread and as an avid Opera user just couldn't let it go without a few comments. Apologies for not formatting this reply to credit each postee.

Opera is a very good browser. It's download is 3.4MB compared to 4.7MB for FF and don't forget this includes many of the facilities that require 'extensions' in FF, such as tabbed browsing and mouse gestures.

..........it was a good browser but had a terrible UI. OK the default UI is not nice but a simple click on tools>skins downloads and installs new UI's in an instant. There are hundreds of them and install themselves completely automatically.

Because its full of adverts. Who's going to choose to look at more adverts on the net?
You have to pay to get rid of the adverts?
Get stuffed, I'm not paying anything for a browser when I have IE.

The advert panel is small - about the same depth as an icon or menu bar and around 2/3 the width of the screen. Most web sites contain ads and until I registered my copy I was totally unaware of the ads anyway as they were so unobtrusive. Anyway how much did your M$ OS cost you ? IE ain't free and by the time you've strapped it down to prevent intrusions you might as well install a secure browser !

.......it doesn't even copy my bookmarks and homepage when I install it

A simple import of your bookmarks is all it takes and re-assigning a homepage is a doddle.

- I've yet to come across a website which doesn't work in Firefox and that includes my online banking with Natwest Like wise Opera.

Operas UI is almost infinitely user adjustable, my top bar contains just one row - the navigation icons together with the address panel. Tabs only appear with more than one window open ! The progress bar likewise only appears when loading sites. One click and my bookmarks, history, download and mail tabs appear (oh, did I forget to mention, Opera comes with its own integrated mail client included in the standard download - this checks my mail on opening and thereafter at intervals of my choosing. And its more secure than OE as it doesn't automatically open attachments or run mal-code). It runs all my banking sites, the only thing it won't do is export pics to eBay from your own hard drive - this uses an ActiveX component I believe and for obvious reasons Opera won't run ActiveX. Apart from this I have yet to find a site which doesn't work well using Opera.

One aspect I really love is when doing research on the web and want to copy info from sites, Opera has a 'copy text' (right click menu) facility which does just what it says and leaves any page styles or formatting behind. I found using other browsers using copy>paste imports lots of hidden page formatting off the web page which buggers up your text management in the word processor app. The same is true of copying pics - I just right click 'copy image' and paste into my document (I use Open Office Writer). No fuss, no struggling to delete web page formats. Oh and of course it is fast and mouse gestures make it even faster. It has a password manager built in which securely stores all web site log-ins - one move of the mouse and your in ! How about zoom in / out with the scroll wheel, spoofing (for poor or limited browser sites), hotclicking (selected text options) and data / cookie controls all in the standard download.

I have tried FF many times but never got further than installing it - I just couldn't get extensions to work (my bad probably), couldn't find a decent skin and didn't want to download another mail client or go back to OE. I'm sure FF is good if not great but I see no reason to change from Opera / M2.

Mal · 27-01-2005, 13:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by basa

Because its full of adverts. Who's going to choose to look at more adverts on the net?
You have to pay to get rid of the adverts?
Get stuffed, I'm not paying anything for a browser when I have IE.

The advert panel is small - about the same depth as an icon or menu bar and around 2/3 the width of the screen. Most web sites contain ads and until I registered my copy I was totally unaware of the ads anyway as they were so unobtrusive.

On the version that I've got, it's quite big and very noticable(sp?).

Quote:

Originally Posted by basa

(oh, did I forget to mention, Opera comes with its own integrated mail client included in the standard download - this checks my mail on opening and thereafter at intervals of my choosing. And its more secure than OE as it doesn't automatically open attachments or run mal-code).

I thought that FF was supposed to be just a browser, for those who were happy with whatever email client.

Quote:

Originally Posted by basa

I'm sure FF is good if not great but I see no reason to change from Opera / M2.

That's the way that it should be, you're own preference and choice.

Stuart · 27-01-2005, 14:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard M

...but no ads are better..ask the OSS community.

www.mozilla.org

Boot note:
Articles like this make me feel all warm and fuzzy:
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.02/firefox.html

How about the fact that Opera does everything I want in one, easily downloadable and small package?

How about the superior platform support in Opera? Firefox is available for the Mac, PC and various flavours of Unix. Opera is available for all those, and Windows based PDAs, Windows based Smartphones and all Symbian based phones. On the Sony Ericsson range it is free (no ads).

How about the fact that Opera can view Wap or HTML sites on all platforms, and can, if necessary, intelligently reformat a site to fit on a small screen (ideal for PDAs and phones - infact it does a good job with Cableforum).

To match it's functionality with Firefox requires at least two downloads (Firefox and Thunderbird) and a few extensions as well..

That, combined with the fact it's smaller than Firefox (when combined with Thunderbird and extensions).

The mail client is integrated within opera for more efficiently than Thunderbird integrates with Firefox (you view it as a tab).

Still, as the old saying goes, each to their own. Any competition against IE is good (not that I am saying IE is bad, just that competition means that it forces all browser vendors to look at enhancing their products).

Richard M · 27-01-2005, 14:26

You could view the mail window in a tab in Mozilla Suite by typing something like "chrome://mail/messenger.xul" but I don't know how to do it with FF/Thunderbird.

Stuart · 27-01-2005, 14:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by dellwear

This site has ads??

I payed for NIS partly for the ad blocking capabilities, I want less ad's on my screen not more.

To be honest I cant get on with other browsers, I like IE as it just works. I don't have a problem with security, and I don;t have to spend ages learning where everything is again.

IE for me

Ok.. I wasn't actually having a go.

BTW, I don't get ads on this site either. Not because I have configured Zone Alarm to block ads, but because I recently donated money.

philip.j.fry · 27-01-2005, 14:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by scastle

The mail client is integrated within opera for more efficiently than Thunderbird integrates with Firefox (you view it as a tab).

On the flip side of the coin, one of my peeves with Opera is the integrated mail client (something that also originally discouraged my use of Mozilla and Netscape). Mail and WWW usage just aren't closely associated enough in my browsing habits to justify having the two apps tied together and in a multitasking OS there just isn't the need for it. Again, just my opinion