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MacMerc.com: Singing the praises of Opera

Published September 17th, 2007 10:34 AM EDT By Daniel Goldman

Brian from MacMerc wrote a nice piece on Opera, saying it’s “an amazingly customizable browser with advanced features that is still slim and fast.”

“I’ve passed on Opera several times for different reasons: it cost money (used to), the UI felt bulky, no extensions. This time around I took more time to dig into the powerful configuration options and ended up with a browser that makes me cringe to use Firefox.”

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13 Comments

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  1. 1 Aleksey Sep 17th, 2007 at 10:54 am
    using Opera Opera 9.50 on Windows Windows Vista

    Oh please, like that’s news! :P

  2. 2 Abhishek Sep 17th, 2007 at 11:47 am
    using Opera Opera 9.23 on Linux Linux

    This only goes on to prove the opaqueness of the mainstream media towards the emerging technologies and their penchant for “standards”. Still, I feel that this by itself doesn’t deserve the link.

  3. 3 James Cassell Sep 17th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
    using Opera Opera 9.50 on Windows Windows Vista

    There is a typo in your quotation. In the last line, where you have “makes be cringe”, it should read “makes me cringe”

  4. 4 Daniel Goldman Sep 17th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
    using Opera Opera 9.50 on Windows Windows XP

    James, thanks. I did a copy and paste. Apparently the author fixed it after I copied it.

  5. 5 Steve Barker Sep 17th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
    using Opera Opera 9.23 on Mac OS Mac OS X

    There seem to be very few Opera banners on sites, and many of the ones that do, such as http://www.mygen.co.uk/ , have Firefox banners too! I found Opera 5 because a site mentioned its existance as an alternative to Explorer, so hopefully, this article will encourage more users!

    (Posted on the Mac, instead of a Linux pc because its a Mac article).

  6. 6 Steve Barker Sep 17th, 2007 at 3:25 pm
    using Netscape Navigator Netscape Navigator 5.0 on Mac OS Mac OS X

    MacMerc.com do not do not seem to have any articles on iCab, a excelent Mac only browser which is almost as good as Opera.

  7. 7 Steve Barker Sep 17th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
    using iCab iCab 3.0.3 on Mac OS Mac OS X

    Re-posted to try and get the iCab icon:

    MacMerc.com do not do not seem to have any articles on iCab, a excelent Mac only browser which is almost as good as Opera.

  8. 8 GT500 Sep 17th, 2007 at 4:22 pm
    using Opera Opera 9.22 on Windows Windows XP

    Originally posted by Brian from MacMerc:

    … I took more time to dig into the powerful configuration options and ended up with a browser that makes me cringe to use Firefox.

    Firefox makes me cringe too. Even though I despise IE with a burning passion that consumes my soul, I’d rather use it than Firefox…

    Originally posted by Steve Barker:

    There seem to be very few Opera banners on sites, and many of the ones that do, such as http://www.mygen.co.uk/ , have Firefox banners too! …

    Not all of them. ;)

  9. 9 GT500 Sep 17th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
    using Opera Opera 9.22 on Windows Windows XP

    I just realised that Opera Software has done away with the Opera graphic I was using on my site. I guess I’ll have to put another one on there when I get home…

    I just hope that the next time they replace their banners and buttons, that they give us some nicer looking PNGs. The ones they have right now are mostly GIFs, and half of them no longer display…

  10. 10 Steve Barker Sep 17th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
    using Opera Opera 9.10 on Linux Linux

    !!! The authors own site has a Firefox banner !!!

  11. 11 Steve Barker Sep 17th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
    using Opera Opera 9.10 on Linux Linux

    GT500, your Firefox banner is well worth clicking…..

  12. 12 GT500 Sep 17th, 2007 at 11:51 pm
    using Opera Opera 9.50 on Linux Linux

    Yea. I thought that site was fairly good. Especially when they finally updated their info to include Firefox 2… ;)

  13. 13 Erkko Sep 19th, 2007 at 2:02 pm
    using Mozilla Firefox Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.5 on Mac OS Mac OS X

    I have to say that Opera is doing exactly the right things with Opera 9.5, and it is getting praise as it should.

    Speed and configurability. Speed is a gaping hole in the offering of the open source browsers, and configurability is just a must to cater for the active web users, as a plain browser really is just a plain browser.

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Opera Watch, an Opera browser blog, is run by Daniel Goldman, who used to work for Opera Software as a Technical Evangelist.

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About Opera


Q: What is Opera?
A: Opera is one of the most powerful Web browsers around. A Web browser is the program that allows you to view Web pages. Opera is well known for innovation for PC browsers and bringing the full web to mobile phones and devices.

Q: Is Opera free?
A: Absolutely free.

Q: Why should I download a browser? Doesn't my computer already come with one for free?
A: It's about getting more out of the time you spend on the internet. Opera is designed to be much faster than these browsers and gives you powerful features that the default browser lacks. Default browsers like Internet Explorer are also more likely to be subjected to dangerous software such as viruses and spyware.

Q: Will Opera keep me safe from fraudulent websites and malicious hackers?
A: According to Secunia, a respected firm that tracks security in browsers, Opera has the best reputation and track record when it comes to browser security. Keeping our users safe from security vulnerabilities, fraudulent websites, and malicious hackers is a top priority for Opera. Opera is maintained by hundreds of engineers, developers and security experts who are constantly looking to make the browser even safer.

Q: Doesn't Opera copy all of their features from other browsers?
A: Absolutely not. In fact, many of the features that are popular in other browsers today were invented and pioneered by Opera a long time ago. Opera invented the precursor to tabs (in 1994), Page Zoom (1994), was the first browser to block pop-up ads (2000), first to add a Search field in the browser toolbar (2000), Sessions (1996), deleting private data (2000), Mouse Gestures (2000), User JavaScript (2005), BitTorrent support (2005), Widgets (2006), Speed Dial (2007), and much more.

Q: Does Opera support extensions, such as those found in Firefox?
A: Much of the functionality provided through Firefox extensions is already built directly into Opera, so you don't have to download additional extensions in Opera. In addition, Opera is highly customizable and supports all standard plug-ins.

Q: Can I also use Opera on my mobile phone?
A: Yes. And your Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS or almost any connected device and mobile phones. Opera Mobile oftens comes preinstalled from the manufacturers, but if it doesn't you can install Opera Mini which runs on nearly all phones.

Q: This all sounds great, so how do I download Opera?
A: -- Opera on your computer
-- Opera Mini on your phone
-- Opera Mobile on your phone
-- or learn more about Opera at www.opera.com