Opera - An alternative browser (Opera Web Browser)

Member Name: rob_writer

Product:	Opera Web Browser
Date:	21/10/00 (248 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Has some good points

Disadvantages: Has some bad points

When most people think of an Internet Browser they immediately think of Microsoft Internet Explorer, a few people will realise their is an alternative in the form of Netscape Navigator, but how many people have ever heard of Opera??

Opera is a web browser just like Internet Explorer, and supports the majority of the features that the Microsoft browser does. All the lastest HTML, HTTP, XML and Java standards are supported, all of which means that the majority of web sites are shown in Opera exactly as they would be in the two major browsers. But, as you may have noticed, I used the word majority , because Opera does have a few compatibility issues. One major flaw is that it lacks ActiveX, not a problem for the web on the whole but it does cause a problem with Microsoft sites, many fail to work properly because of the lack of ActiveX, and it is 100% impossible to use Hotmail Chat features because of this (by the way, if anyone has amazingly found a way round this then Id love to know). The majority of people will not mind about this, but bearing in mind that many young people use the net and young people like to chat then if you have a family computer this could be a problem.

This brings me to the next point, Opera is not as user friendly as its Microsoft counterpart. While advanced users may enjoy its greater control it offers, and the masive tweak-a-bility it has, for inexperienced users some things may be confusing. Plug-ins for example, require a bit of coaxing to work with Opera. This comes from the fact that Opera uses Netscape plug-ins, and the programs that install the plug-ins look for Netscape Navigator. Full instructions are available in Operas help file but again this doesnt promote user frendliness.

Opera also features the option to disguise itself as Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer, meaning that compatibility problems are reduced, and getting round those sites that tell you that you havent got the correct browser, but t
his option does not get round the ActiveX problem, according to the developers this, and other features of Netscape and Microsofts browser are not industry standard. A noble thought, but if they want to succeed in marketing Opera then they will have to realise that Microsoft IS the industry standard, if it decides on a new feature it simply incorporates it in to its software and everyone uses it. This is a thought reciprocated in the Opera help file, they blame their problems on the big players rather than getting on with the task in hand and making Opera 100% compatible.

So, it may seem as I just gave Opera a bad review, but not so. It does have some distinct advantages over the other browsers. For example, you can have multiple web pages open in the browser, allowing you flick back and forth between them rather than opening a whole new instance of the browser. It also features an inbuilt email client negating the need for external applications, in addition to this it allows access to news servers and has a better file transfer system than other browsers, allowing resuming of lost downloads. While not up to the standard of Get Right or GoZilla! this is a usefull feature and one which Internet Explorer doesnt have.
Opera also comes with very good accessability options, allowing complete control from the keyboard, zooming in and out, and customised font, size, style etc. to allow easy viewing for people who have poor sight etc.

The last point to mention is that Opera is extremely small to install, 1.8Mb without Java support and 8Mb with Java support. This combined with the fact that is stream lined and doesnt take up too many resources mean that it suitable to run on almost any machine, right down to a 386. In addition to this it allows you to control various options on what on a web pages is shown, so if you can sacrafice the pictures you can seriously speed up your net connection.

So, is Opera worth using over Internet Explorer?? T
o this I will have to answer try it for yourself and see. Depending on what you use the net for, it may make it a more rewarding experience, or on the flip side make it worse. Depending on the type of sites you visit you may or may not experience compatibility problems, and you may or may not require the accessability options. There will be advantages and disadvantages to everyone, you just have to decide if the good bits make up for the bad bits, and at the end of the day if it is better than Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator.

It really is your choice.....

UPDATE
------

Well, as much as I may have defended Opera above I have finally got sick and moved on to IE 5.5, I'm afraid the incompatibility problems weren't so noticeable on my old computer, but with my new one I want to be able to use the web to its fullest and I'm afraid Opera is up to it.

A shame, because Microsoft really needs some competition, and apart from Netscape (which I find awful) there is none.

UPDATE
------

Opera version 5 is out, and finally the browser has joined the crowd and is finally free, although there is advertising in the browser.

It promises increased support for web sites, although I still can't get MSN Chat to work with it.

Summary: