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Opera is now free.


segosa

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Now Firefox have something to live up to, now it just can't use the "but Opera is not free."

 

Now probably the only version would work; "but Opera is not Open Source."

 

I love Opera in it's own sort of way. Despite I disagree with the way it handles lists.

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Those who bought it recently must feel like sh*t.

Anyone who bought it within the last 30 days can get a full refund.

 

However, they still give premium support to those who've paid.

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I actually used Opera before I used FireFox, but quickly switched.

 

My opinion is...

 

FireFox > Opera > > > > > Internet Explorer

 

Opera has potential. And it's not a bad browser. I just love FireFox so much more.

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magical_trevor

mad.gif Opera for Windows Mobile still isn't free- they didn't give out serial codes for it during that party thingy they had either. grrr

 

ninja edit- I just looked at teh site and the 'register now' banner that was under the download logo for the mobile version this afternoon is now gone, does that mean it's free? I don't wanna download it then find I still have to pay for it, since it'll probably take me liek an hour to download.. link, btw

 

real edit- looks like you do still have to pay

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(I've neatened this up and turned it into a review of Opera 8.5 article for my site. It's easier to read the web page than this forum post, imho.)

 

 

I'm really impressed with Opera 8.5 since it's taken a big step from uber-geek plaything and towards being an everyday browser with familiar funtionality. All the advanced stuff is still in there and the geeky folks (like me) can use the Tools > Appearences dialogue to put anything pretty much anywhere you want it. It's like having sex with a whore in that respect. (Sorry, was that a bit strong?)

 

After a bit of fiddling, this is how Opera 8.5 looks for me:

user posted image

1024 x 1075, 250kB.

 

One of the big steps is that you can select the "Windows Native Theme" and it becomes a familiar and intuitive interface, inheriting whatever Windows theme you are using:

user posted image

1024 x 1075, 178kB.

 

Better still, they have radically simplified the menu items:

user posted image

1024 x 1075, 215kB.

 

Unlike previous versions of Opera which I have tried, this one loads up very speedily. It's infinitely faster than the glacially slow Netscape, it's a heck of a lot faster to start that Firefox and it's not much behind IE6 on this XP Home SP2 machine.

 

Their interface layouts and use of function keys with Shift and CTRL for menu shortcuts are quite similar to the ones that I make. They use the ancient, simple standard for dialogue windows with controls down the left and manipulator buttons on the right, with OK and Cancel on the bottom right.

 

All the dialogues resize but, unlike my programs (*gloat*) they don't have maximise and minimise buttons. If the form resizes, you might as well include those buttons because there's a chance the user will want to resize it to be massive and then would require a minimise button to click past it. The exception to this is the Tools > Advanced > JavaScript Console which resizes, has a maximise button and a minimise button. Makes it a lot more convieniant...except that the minimise button in the taskbar just moves it below the other windows. The minimise command button is the one which actually minimises it. Slightly odd, imho. However, it remembers the normal size - even if you close it from being maximised - which is something a lot of programs get wrong.

 

It now combines a more native style of Windows tab than is used by Firefox with the familiar Multiple Document Interface controls found in other programs. Having a Window menu to manage very large numbers of tabs is very useful. Having various options of arranging or cascading windows can be useful. For example, tiling vertically allows price comparisons for products, although it requires some fiddly scrolling to find where you were. Most websites don't respond well to being tiled horizontally. However, now that Opera's user base is growing it starts to become a viable aspect of the argument that websites should be able to collapse below 750px, perhaps? smile.gif

 

The familiar Window menu of MDI applications:

user posted image

1024 x 1075, 247kB.

 

Holding down Shift and using the arrow keys makes for wonderful keyboard navigation. It simply moves the focus to the nearest element in that direction which can accept input, whether it's a form field or a hyperlink.

 

 

I miss the Web Developer Bar and HTML Validator extensions that I have in Firefox, although there is a Opera Web Developer Bar (Opera Community topic) assembled from various bookmarklets, consoles and suchlike. Since getting the HTML Validator extension for Firefox, I've developed a habit of glancing at the status bar error and warning count for every page a I visit whilst typing a message, having a sip of water or just being nosey. I can't use Opera 8.5 on a full-time basis until that sort of functionality is present in it. It's certainly changed my view about it a lot; I now consider it a serious contender in the new browser wars. cool.gif

 

 

(EDIT) Nearly forgot to mention this:

user posted image

1024 x 1075, 121kB.

 

By pressing Shift+F11 (or using View > Small Screen) It's a version of their Small Screen Rendering model. It seems that it uses the SSR engine when a site uses layout tables and has no media="handheld" stylesheet. When a site uses <div> elements for layout and also has a suitable stylesheet, it just displays the page as normal but with the appropriate CSS used. In typical Opera attention to detail, the View > Full Screen mode will only use CSS defined in a media="projection" stylesheet.

 

Very, very good piece of software, imho.

Edited by Cerbera
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Thanks for the little "review" Cerb.

 

That prompted me to give Opera 8 a try. I've tried various versions throughout the years, and damn, it's changed!

 

My big goal was simple: reduce RAM usage. Firefox would regurarly go over 100 MB for me, I've heard Opera is much less (currently I'm at 30 MB... not too bad!) so hopefully I can keep the same features AND get less RAM usage. Plus, I think it looks nicer and definately loads WAY faster.

 

No "real" adblock is a bummer, but Ad Muncher is kicking butt so far.

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I downloaded Opera because of the anniversary offer...

 

now it is free

 

I just saw the "style" thing in the view menu... sort of new thing to me... (in a browser)

 

ha, this is even better to browse pr0n...

Edited by _-playero-_
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Yeah, I downloaded 8.5 when it came out. I was REALLY surprised. Not by any of the features or anything, but the fact that it was free and no "generic ads" was just leet. Now I don't have to ever use FF except for testing cross-browser issues.

 

The RAM usage is a *bit* high, but f*ck it.

oVAzxRq.png
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The RAM usage is a *bit* high, but f*ck it.

60M.... holly f*ck!

 

edit: question here, why when I say "Opera Read" voice command it reads things down the selection, but not the selection as it should do?

 

Hell I need more help... the transfers window shows a "?" in size and remaining time when I'm downloading something... what the hell its going on?

Edited by _-playero-_
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I just started using it, and i must say im enjoying it more than FF. It's beocome my dominate browser. It's alot quicker, atleast on my machine. I just like the overall look and feel better.
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The RAM usage is a *bit* high, but f*ck it.

Compared to Firefox? It's nothing.

I'd reguarly see 100+ MB usage in Firefox. I rarely go over 70 with Opera.

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I have been using Opera for 2 months or so and I think it's great!

While I was on FF, I would still get some annoying spyware, I have no spyware/viruses problems now though! biggrin.gif

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High Voltage

Does Opera have any AD block plugin???, I like Opera, but firefox has the ad block.

Edited by High Voltage
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High Voltage, Yes, Opera has an intergrated pupup blocker.

 

By the way, I downloaded Opera recently and it's been f*cking awesome for me. No spyware/adware or any problem. I ditched FF for Opera. I absolutely love it inlove.gif.

 

 

FIOszpJ.gif

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High Voltage, Yes, Opera has an intergrated pupup blocker.

 

By the way, I downloaded Opera recently and it's been f*cking awesome for me. No spyware/adware or any problem. I ditched FF for Opera. I absolutely love it inlove.gif.

 

 

He is referring to the adblock extension, which, to my knowledge is not available for Opera.

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High Voltage, Yes, Opera has an intergrated pupup blocker.

 

By the way, I downloaded Opera recently and it's been f*cking awesome for me. No spyware/adware or any problem. I ditched FF for Opera. I absolutely love it inlove.gif.

 

 

He is referring to the adblock extension, which, to my knowledge is not available for Opera.

Oh snap. Also, read this discussion on the Opera Forums as it seems some people are trying to make the Adblock feature of Opera Tools more like the FF extension.

 

Edit: Question. If I use the free key I got whenever they did that thing, do I get the Premium support? Nevermind, you don't.

Edited by Tornado Rex
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  • 3 weeks later...

Bump (+double post)

 

Opera 9.0 Preview 1 is out.

http://my.opera.com/community/forums/topic.dml?id=108345

 

Short list of new features from the site:

  • support for XSLT, Canvas 2D, and Web Forms 2.0
  • rich-text editing on Web pages
  • site-specific preferences
  • a new IMAP back-end
  • access to Opera's preferences via opera:config
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I tried 9.0 preview 1 and it kept crashing 10 seconds after I launched the browser so I went back to the latest stable release. confused.gif

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