Opera 10 | The Coffeehouse

joechung

Opera 10 went live today -- http://www.opera.com.

Turbo mode - Server-side proxy loads images quickly by sacrificing image quality.
Visual Tabs - Tabs preview on hover.
Menu-less browser (not by default) - Looks like Chrome. Tabs tear-off too though not as slick as Chrome.
Performance improvements - Fast though not as fast as Chrome or Safari 4.
100/100 on Acid 3 - http://acid3.acidtests.org/

TommyCarlier
I want my scalps!

First of all, Visual Tabs is not about preview on hover: previous versions already did that. It's about showing the preview in the tab (when you drag the separator down). Like this:

Second, what do you mean "menu-less browser"? How do you remove the menu?

stevo_
Human after all

Hey check out opera trying to be cool, yea but you aren't guys so why bother developing an acid3 browser when nobody wants your browser anyway, or your companys moral standings on 'user choice'..

TommyCarlier
I want my scalps!

In reply to stevo_

#Sep 1st @ 3:17 AM

Real mature, stevo_.

Massif
aim stupidly high, expect to fail often.

In reply to TommyCarlier

#Sep 1st @ 3:35 AM

file "show menu bar" Tommy... I feel much better with those extra few pixels reclaimed.

And for some reason it works better with the editor for both C9 and Hotmail. Hoorah! (Better than RC2 did anyway... what happened there?)

TommyCarlier
I want my scalps!

In reply to Massif

#Sep 1st @ 4:00 AM

Thanks, Massif. You're right that it looks a lot cleaner. I think most people don't really use the menu a lot, so that's a nice win.

Dovella
Go Microsoft !!!!!!!

Opera is very amazin for WinMo ( 9.7 beta)

for my desktop I love chrome

spivonious

I installed all four browsers this morning (IE8, FF, Chrome, and Opera 10; Safari doesn't count Tongue Out ) and I have to say that Opera has gotten a lot faster since I tried it last (version 8?). I don't like Chrome's interface with the tabs in the title bar. Firefox hasn't done anything new since version 2 and IE8 is feeling a bit sluggish after using Opera and Chrome.

I might just try out Opera as my default browser for a while.

joechung

In reply to TommyCarlier

#Sep 1st @ 3:11 AM

Re: Visual Tabs, thanks for the correction, Tommy! Double-clicking the drag bar expands/collapses the area as well.

Harlequin
http://twitter.com/TrueHarlequin

In reply to spivonious

#Sep 1st @ 6:20 AM

I think the issue with Opera isn't that it's not a bad browser. By the sounds of it v10 sounds awesome. The problem I think is that Opera use to not be free. Was $20 or $30 or something, and I think that's what killed it.

brian.shapiro
things go on as always

I never noticed this before.. you can't drag text or links in Opera?

W3bbo
The Master of Baiters

In reply to Harlequin

#Sep 1st @ 12:01 PM

Opera also suffers from bloat, Opera 9 had a built-in email, bittorrent, news, and other clients. Its bloat didn't affect its size (it's always been a smaller download than Firefox) but it just detracted from the browser's core business of browsing the web. Opera 9's UI didn't sit too well with me either, I know it's skinnable, but it just didn't feel like a native application.

GoddersUK
I CAN has cheezburger and you CAN'T has stop me!

In reply to W3bbo

#Sep 1st @ 12:05 PM

You don't even need to bother skinning it. There's a look native button somewhere that absorbs the interface of your OS.

W3bbo
The Master of Baiters

In reply to GoddersUK

#Sep 1st @ 1:22 PM

I know, but that "native" look is still implemented as a skin. I haven't tested it on Opera 10, but Opera 9 just didn't feel right.

GoddersUK
I CAN has cheezburger and you CAN'T has stop me!

In reply to W3bbo

#Sep 1st @ 1:26 PM

You'll probably find Opera 10 worse... I've just updated and think it feels a lot less Windowsy than 9 on my Vista system, not tried on my XP system yet though (I think the icon style they've used may fit in better there).

Dodo
I'm your creativity creator™ :)

In reply to W3bbo

#Sep 1st @ 12:05 PM

There's nothing like 'bloat-ware'. Let me quote something:

We've noticed for a long time that there are always some users who love to scream until their vocal cords bleed about "bloat". Typically, they define "bloat" as "Features I don't use". These same users are always in forums requesting tweaks and new features to their pet software. Their sense of entitlement is greatly stroked when such tweaks and features are added.
But when features are added that they DIDN'T ask for, well that's "bloat". The reasons for the changes don't matter. The other users don't matter. The overall health of the project doesn't matter. And it doesn't matter if the screamers can simply ignore the new features and use the software the way they always have, unimpeded. There is no appeasement other than a total acquiescence to the demands of the screamers. "REMOVE IT!" "MAKE A SPECIAL BUILD FOR ME!" "STOP SELLING OUT TO THE MAN!" "LISTEN TO YOUR USERS! (i.e. 'me').
The point that we can't make enough... if you don't like the new interface or the new features - you don't have to use it. Just because you may not choose to use something, it doesn't mean that other users won't. And if new features don't get in your way, then how does it really cause a problem?

Opera had the best standards support in... I don't know... it's been around Y2K, I think, when FireFox, was still called Phoenix or FireBird (not sure) and noone knew about it. Then IE5 for Mac and the famous IE6 with scrollbar color support, DirectX filters, translucency and advanced JavaScript support came along. Every other desktop browser went pretty much downhill. Safari didn't even exist.

In the technology business, strange things happen. Like bringing crowds of Apple fanboys into existence. I still wonder how that one happened.