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27 out of 28 people found this review helpful
5.0 stars
"Opera is free ... nothing is held back from consumers!"
Pros: Fast, configurable, addicting, incredible integration of everything-Internet!
Cons: Very few minor annoyances --- far fewer than any other browser/suite I have tried
Summary: Robert Vamosi wrote a review for CNet which is exposed for the many myths that are propogated in his review here: http://operawatch.blogspot.com/2005/05/cnet-reviews-opera-8-among-six.html
Opera is free. You don't have to pay $40 as he states. It is fully functional. Nothing is held back. No features are missing in Opera's offering which is, in fact, free. Sure, there is advertising in the free offering. You don't have to have an ad banner as Robert Vamosi says, though. You can have Google text ads, just like you see in GMail or Google searches, instead that are relevant to what you are viewing. It's that simple. No strings are attached.
I have used Opera for over 2 years now, legally, and have never paid a cent for it. And I love it!
I think it outpaces Firefox (the most hyped non-IE browser going right now).
Here's a brief reasoning for saying this:
Take it from me ... I have really attempted to do this (make Firefox like Opera in feature-set and overall functionality), too. It cannot be done! (exclamation points need not be interpreted as brain-dead fan-boyism, either)
I-N-T-E-G-R-A-T-I-O-N, baby!
Opera's integration of everything under-the-sun-on-the-Internet is unique and smart and not duplicated anywhere else.
For example:
My contact properties allow me to enter chat nicknames. When in chat, that person's unique contact image appears in the chat panel when he is online ... neat!
While chatting, I can easily send an email to one of my contacts in the chatroom ... neat!
While browsing, I can easily select a group of text and right-click and send via email to any of my contacts ... neat!
While browsing (if I need to give my neck and shoulders and rear-end a break) but am interested in reading one final article, I can simply select the text and have the voice read the article to me after I turn up the volume and take a walk around the house---neat!
While chatting, I need to spell-check my new big word ... simple with Opera, and I want to tell somebody in the chatroom about my new favorite bookmark. Simply drag the bookmark over to the chatroom posting area ... great stuff!
Ah, I just got a great newsfeed article notice ... my friend would love to read this. I know what I'll do, I'll press 'F' and forward it to him. Excellent!
I could go on and on ...
Suffice to say, the merging together of chat, browser, mail, news, and contacts makes Opera uniquely gifted.
- 2 replies to this review
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I even wrote an article with similar feelins, the media hype of Firefox by Internet media giants, such as Cnet:
http://www.lowter.com/articles/192
I think that they need to redo this review, because Opera 8 doesn't even had ads now. Looks like it would be up to par with Firefox according to them. I'll have to email the editors. -
Treego's enthusiasm is infectious, and reinforces my desire to switch out of IE (neutralize it, not kick it totally out). My own computer limitations are defeating me, not Treego's review. I've downloaded Opera 8.5; I've designated Opera as my browser of choice; when I go online, I decline to designate MSIE as my browser. Yet I don't seem to be able to go on-line via Opera. The Opera page that appears reports failure to connect...indeed, a page-full of different connection failures...a morass of failures.
For a user who habitually defers to the "default" options offered in the setup stage of downloading, it's frustrating to find, ultimately, I'm thwarting my enjoyment of Opera. So, what I'm hoping for is to be rescued by an instructor who can instruct me to "Go to x" then "Press y" and "Double-click z" HELP?
