Opera 5

The new Bush Administration may take a more favorable position toward Microsoft in the marathon antitrust case. While the appeals process works its way toward the Supreme Court, chances for a breakup appear a bit less likely. However, the Internet Explorer browser will likely be permanently separated from Microsoft’s operating systems (98, ME, 2000).

The long delayed updated browser from Netscape appeared late last year. The Internet community greeted Netscape 6 unenthusiastically. Reports of bugs surfaced immediately. With the benchmark set by Internet Explorer (IE) 5.5, the new Netscape (NS) offering fell short. While vocal anti-Microsoft netsters surf the Web with Netscape 6, even ardent supporters have encountered problems using it as many Webmasters have incorporated some non-standard commands (i.e. Active-X) when building complex sites. It should be noted security holes, opened by Active-X, are regularly reported on the Web.

On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, sensing an impending sea change in the Web browser landscape, the six-year-old Norwegian software developer Opera Software A/S released Opera Version 5.

In My Experience

In February ‘98, I reviewed the Opera V 3.2 browser. At that time Opera was a bit quirky, yet its small size and snappy performance caught my attention. Before the V5 release, 1 to 1.5 million Web-surfers used the browser as reported on the Opera Web site. Many significant improvements were made since V 3.2. They cannot all be covered in the space allowed here. Some highlights follow.

Prior to V 5, the Opera browser cost $35. It is now free. Supported by JUNO-esque unobtrusive ads, many of the features users liked in earlier versions were retained and improved. Most significantly, a one-click e-mail function was smoothly integrated into V5. The newsreader functionality has been upgraded but I have not used it as yet. Stay tuned. Frankly, Usenet newsgroups hold strong interest for seasoned Internet users while casual surfers usually avoid this area. Instant messaging (via ICQ) has been added. Again, I do not use this function when surfing and cannot comment on the Opera implementation.

Size Issues

The small file size of early Opera versions won praise from many corners of the Internet. With V5, we encounter bloat resulting from added features. Opera comes in two flavors. A non-Java enabled version requires a 2 megabyte (MB) download (it no longer does it fit on one 3.5 inch floppy disk). However, with the vast proliferation of Javascript found on the Web, the 9.5 MB (ouch!) choice is strongly recommended for most Internet users. While Opera’s size weighs in at half the size of NS and IE, the time required to download the larger version with a dialup modem becomes more of an issue. The download operation (from the CNET site) and installation go smoothly.

Java And Video

When installing early Opera versions, the Java add-on involved the annoyance of a separate download from the Sun Microsystems Web site. Frankly, when visiting Web sites containing Java applications and Javascript, Opera performed unevenly. With V5, the Java enabled version installs effortlessly and developers have ironed out the most severe incompatibility issues. However, small, nagging Javascript compatibility problems persist. Perhaps this will improve over time.

Heavy-duty Internet users (usually with broadband access) often encounter proprietary video formats. While AVI files (Windows) and QuickTime (Apple) execute trouble free, V5 does not display video found at the dotcomguy.com Web site. For many, this might just be a minor annoyance.

Recommended

The diverse nature of the Internet/World Wide Web means that one size (or browsing tool) does not always fit all. Serious Web surfers should have at least two options available. While Internet Explorer 5.5 remains my primary browser, Opera 5 has displaced Netscape as number two. Owners of older (read slower) computers with slow connections to the Internet should consider Opera 5 as a primary browser. With Version 5, the Opera developers now have a product that holds the potential to seriously compete with Microsoft. The courts and the new Bush Administration could play a significant role in the future of this exciting product. Try it. It is free, fun, and easy to use.

URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) of interest:

http://www.operasoftware.com/

http://www.thebee.com/bWeb/iinfo91.htm

(This is the 239th of a series of elementary articles designed for surfing the Internet. Next, “Webcam Installation” is the subject on tap. Stay Tuned. Until next week, happy travels through cyberspace. Previous issues of Internet Info for Real People can be found: http://www.thebee.com. Please e-mail comments and suggestions: rbrand@JUNO.com or editor@thebee.com.)