Opera: The ignored browser

[waynegohl]

i thought maybe it's my junk pc but when i went back to IE all was fine.

 

[LazyLion]

I just keep it as a spare... don't use it much.

 

[BinaryJack]

I have started using Opera on my PC because of the mobile Opera Browser.
I have Firefox, Google and *cough* IE but I actually prefer the look, feel and speed of Opera.

 

[diabolus]

Not being the target for every two bit tool bar is an advantage, besides, as you say, Opera does everything.

Well yea, problem is certain toolbars are quite useful, i.e. Google Toolbar can pull in your Google Bookmarks [i store all my bookmarks online] directly , which was pretty much a deal-breaker when i used Opera last time.

Also when i use the term "toolbar" , i'm not necissarily saying it sits below the adress bar with alot of icons, alot of toolbars adds a new menu [next to the Tool/File/Edit] or even way below [like the downloadHelper] . So some might call it "plugins" but alot are actually toolbars

Things like Twitter/Facebook integration....Opera always seemingly the short end of the compatibility stick. I can only assume Opera's development support/platform is not as open as Firefox/IE [so developers can create these plugins/toolbars/integration] and therefore no one does it.

 

[SirFooK'nG]

Well then... that makes me part of an elite group who enjoys what I think is the best browser around!! I love my Opera, neva looked back since using it!!!

I switched over when they started tabbed browsing.... best thing to happen to all browsers!!

 

[Lino]

Opera is verrrrrrrry far from bloated... Yes they've stuck in a whole lot of new stuff in 10 but it's still more lightweight and faster than any major browser.

What doesn't work waynegohl?

Opera less bloated than Chrome

 

[d0b33]

I use it on OSX, firefox feels bloated and slow in comparison, safari is like lightning on OSX but lacks too many features.

 

[ingeon]

Using Opera and very happy with it. Fast and when connection sucks it grinds
till the page is loaded.
They had one or two hickups during version changes.

IE crashes randomly often and just sucks, but some pages only IE formatted.
Firefox I find slow at times but better addon implementation that opera.

 

[Rouxenator]

I have been using Opera since 10 years ago. At first the tabs were confusing to me, but I learned to love them. It has been the only alternative for mainstream browsers ever since it came to the scene. When people started going FireFox crazy I just laughed because I have been using Opera for years by then.

It is much smaller than other browsers and do a lot more out of the box. It simply is the best browser ever.

 

[Curtix2]

I have opera on ignore whats this thread about.

 

[alloytoo]

I've been using Opera for years.

Initially it was an issue of stability, Opera crashed less frequently and recovered better than IE6. Of course after a while Opera's features made it impossible to return to IE.

Firefox just feels too much like IE for me, it feels uncomfortable. Chrome looks like a good product through, not good enough to change.

The new Opera Unite product looks interesting, as home bandwidth gets cheaper, especially in Europe, the idea of hosting your stuff, not having to worry about fighting to retain copyright, or remembering the variety of online locations you've stored your data, gets more attractive.

As soon as I get my Desktop, I'm going to set up Opera unite for sharing photos with family and friends.

Opera's market share does not reflect the quality of the product.

 

[alloytoo]

Wait there's people that actually *want* those toolbars? I though they were all just inadvertently installed with some crapware...

Go figure.

 

[kilkraze]

Opera used to be the only browser I used, but sometimes the tabs would just go haywire. Now I'm back to FF, but I'll always have a little place in my heart for Opera. Opera Mini is the best though.

 

[alloytoo]

Well yea, problem is certain toolbars are quite useful, i.e. Google Toolbar can pull in your Google Bookmarks [i store all my bookmarks online] directly , which was pretty much a deal-breaker when i used Opera last time.

I also store my bookmarks online, using my Opera account.

 

[rorz0r]

Well yea, problem is certain toolbars are quite useful, i.e. Google Toolbar can pull in your Google Bookmarks [i store all my bookmarks online] directly , which was pretty much a deal-breaker when i used Opera last time.

Also when i use the term "toolbar" , i'm not necissarily saying it sits below the adress bar with alot of icons, alot of toolbars adds a new menu [next to the Tool/File/Edit] or even way below [like the downloadHelper] . So some might call it "plugins" but alot are actually toolbars

Things like Twitter/Facebook integration....Opera always seemingly the short end of the compatibility stick. I can only assume Opera's development support/platform is not as open as Firefox/IE [so developers can create these plugins/toolbars/integration] and therefore no one does it.

Opera has opera link so there's not a lot of need for google's bookmarks. When you're using another browser/pc you're able to log in to the opera site and view/manage them etc etc.

Agreed that facebook/twitter etc integration is lacking but those are just things that arent't really a priority for me. I think Opera is just the "linux" of the browser world and because it's not popular the plugins aren't there.

 

[diabolus]

I also store my bookmarks online, using my Opera account.

Yea, but that is exactly what the article points out. Opera , due to lack of integration with existing/popular services creates it themselves. Almost like re-inventing the wheel [whether they did it first or not is another debate, but still].

It's like the ability to host your own pictures/files directly with that Opera Union thing. Nice and dandy, but i am already perfectly geared with Picasa. Why do i want this locked into a specific browser?

So if you are a 100% opera user, great. But if you're like me, with multiple PCs, multiple browsers [due to work/home requirements] and multiple platforms needing to integrate with a browser...you do not want to be "locked into" an Opera specific service.

Google Bookmarks [as an example] is browser neutral. You get great plugins to interact with the service [without going to an online webpage, but instead it syncing with your existing bookmark system etc etc], and if i ever change browsers i don't lose this functionality.

 

[Sselmrah]

Two words: Opera Turbo
This is a life saver for 3G connections and expensive bundles.
I've used opera for pretty much the last 10 years and it'll take a lot to get me to ever switch.

 

[murraybiscuit]

@diabolus +1

except google bookmarks doesn't work with opera mini.
neither does xmarks.
come on opera, please support a third party bookmarks service.
and i don't mean delicious.

if fennec was availiable for symbian i'd probably dump opera mini for this reason (i like weave)

 

[alloytoo]

Yea, but that is exactly what the article points out. Opera , due to lack of integration with existing/popular services creates it themselves. Almost like re-inventing the wheel [whether they did it first or not is another debate, but still].

They probably did it first.

It's like the ability to host your own pictures/files directly with that Opera Union thing. Nice and dandy, but i am already perfectly geared with Picasa. Why do i want this locked into a specific browser?

You're not locked in, you can access the files from anywhere with a password, and any browser. (why you wouldn't use Opera to access them is beyond me.)

So if you are a 100% opera user, great. But if you're like me, with multiple PCs, multiple browsers [due to work/home requirements] and multiple platforms needing to integrate with a browser...you do not want to be "locked into" an Opera specific service.

Yet Opera is available across a multitude of platforms, including Mac and Linux, makes sense to use the same familiar product.

Google Bookmarks [as an example] is browser neutral. You get great plugins to interact with the service [without going to an online webpage, but instead it syncing with your existing bookmark system etc etc], and if i ever change browsers i don't lose this functionality.

valid point if you use inferior browsers

 

[SlinkyMike]

More like: "Opera the irrelevant browser."

I used it for a time on my old PDA but with the other vastly better and more widely used options I don't see why it is necessary.

Then again I don't even understand why people go goo-goo over Chrome.