Free Opera!

entwisi · 22-09-2005, 07:46

No not the singing variety. Some of you may be aware of the alternative browser Opera. Up to now it was free if you put up with an ad banner in it. Well, now they have decided to put it out as freeware with no ads.

Download from here http://www.opera.com

Why not give it a go , its like Firefox in that it supports tabbed browsing, mouse gestures, better security etc.

Fill your boots!

Ian

KIPAX · 22-09-2005, 08:21

In other words they gave up.... Netscape had a really good go at it.. then everyone hailed Opera as the one to take on IE and now Firefox.. But now it would seem firefox is more unsecure than IE and its only saving grace is that hackers prefer to attack MS products.

Opera is good but If you want an alternative then use Firefox IMHO.. But just dont get carried away (like a certain owner of accyweb does about it hehe no names roy.. no names

)... it will NEVER make more than a slight dent in the browser wars until the monopoly of IE being the only installed browser is broken... until then Firefox or any other browser no matter how fantastic a few percent think it is will never get anywhere..

BTW .. at one time there was over 100 internet browsers to choose from..

WillowTheWhisp · 22-09-2005, 08:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by entwisi

No not the singing variety.

Now there was me thinking you were going to treat us all to an AccyWeb night out to see Pavarotti.

Thanks for the link Ian.

entwisi · 22-09-2005, 09:19

Karaoke at the next do?

Kippax ---- YAWN!!!!!!!! I've been around the Net for a very long time and I can't remember anyone saying Opera was the one to topple IE. Netscape at one point was the most prevalent browser. All software has bugs. It was written by humans after all. What seperates Open Source stuff is the speed of resolution. Microsoft are SLOW at releasing patches, OSS normally has critical patches out within a day.

There are still lots of browsers that the vast majority of people wouldn't even know existed. I use two on a daily basis that most Windows users will never of heard of.

If 1 IE user trys Opera and likes it then my post will have been worthwile. In fact, the fact that one IE users learns that there alternatives makes it worthwile.

KIPAX · 22-09-2005, 09:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by entwisi

Karaoke at the next do?

Kippax ---- YAWN!!!!!!!! .

I made an observation.. conversation.. talked about the subject at hand and here you are having another go at me.. whats your problem? I didnt make any personal remarks.. i wasnt insulting or nasty to anyone.. I talked about the subject... so why are you giving it the childish treatement...

WillowTheWhisp · 22-09-2005, 12:27

Quote:

. it will NEVER make more than a slight dent in the browser wars until the monopoly of IE being the only installed browser is broken.

Well that's more likely to happen if more people are aware that there are alternatives.

There are actually people out there who don't even know what a browser is and think it is the same as an ISP.

Just like there are people who don't know the difference between a film producer and a director.

I even know someone who thinks he can get on the internet without either one, but if you knew him you'd understand why it's best not to try explaining to him.

I've just re-read that! rofl - don't anybody tell me that you never knew you couldn't get on the internet without a film producer and director!!

KIPAX · 22-09-2005, 12:36

Thats the problem willow... they have been trying to make people aware for over 10 years.. it simply doesnt work.. Poeple ahve no idea why they would want a different browser when IE works (in there eyes) .. advertising, word of mouth.. nothing works... they get a new PC and its internet ready... they dont understand the concept of download or install... by the time they do they are already happy with IE.

Believe me Opera, netscape and firefox have all tried.. obviously.... But even Netscape who tried for years never got more than 10% of the market...

Having firefox or whatever installed on the PC when you buy it and the choice... thats the only way... the www is now what..13-14 yrs old I cant remember exactly.. and ever since IE came with PC it has been the driving force.... because it comes pre installed.. simple as that..

entwisi · 22-09-2005, 13:08

Little History of the Net.

http://www.w3.org/History.html

History of the Browser

http://www.livinginternet.com/w/wi_browse.htm

Kippax, you may wish to note the following quote "The Netscape browser led in user share until Microsoft Internet Explorer took the lead in 1999 due to its advantage in being bundled with Windows operating systems." This suggests that Netscape had rather more than 10%. You weren't far off with 14 years though

I reckoned a bit older but was mixing it up with the concept of linked documents(Hyperlinks).

KIPAX · 22-09-2005, 13:17

Quote:

Microsoft Internet Explorer took the lead in 1999 due to its advantage in being bundled with Windows operating systems

and ?

is that your way of apologising and agreeing wiht me??? its exactly what i have been saying..they ahve the monopoly... as for your history links.. you know where you can shove them dont you.. i wasnt sad enough to go looking for the dates haha you where.... thats why i said i cant remeber...

am i supposed to add letters to your name now in some childish competition... grow up

dazzalam · 22-09-2005, 13:31

wich was a better system betamax or vhs, betamax far more superior, so why did vhs outlive it because it became the industry standard, and the retailers and video rental stores killed it off, the general public of this fair land will use whatever they are told to use at that moment in time thats gonna be IE, they dont know any better and the majority of light/novice users wont even want to change even if made aware of alternatives, they have enough hassles getting their head round IE and with most of published userguides concentrating soley on IE, me thinks its here to stay

KIPAX · 22-09-2005, 13:37

True.. its not only the users you have to convince. A lot of companies go for IE only and don't even want support for any other browser because most developers will (wrongly in my opinion) charge more for cross browser or backward campat sites.

I think IE is the lesser browser. But I use it all the time because I have to see what the majority see. IE isn't going to lose its lions share of the market IMHO

entwisi · 22-09-2005, 13:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by KIPAX

and ?

is that your way of apologising and agreeing wiht me??? its exactly what i have been saying..they ahve the monopoly... as for your history links.. you know where you can shove them dont you.. i wasnt sad enough to go looking for the dates haha you where.... thats why i said i cant remeber...

Are you capable of reading? IE was not the dominant broswer for the first 8 years and only a change in chargeing model brought it a market share with no effort. Sad enough to go looking? Nope, actually interested as a normal inquisitive human being would be.

You also seem to think the whole of this thread and my answers are for your benefit. In fact you couldn't be more wrong. So much so you are to be congratulated as the first person to ever make me consider using the bozo bin. As for those people who may actually want to find out how the Internet and WWW came about they will find those links useful.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KIPAX

am i supposed to add letters to your name now in some childish competition... grow up

WTF? Who asked for anything from you. I grew up a long time ago thanks.

KIPAX · 22-09-2005, 13:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by entwisi

WTF? Who asked for anything from you. I grew up a long time ago thanks.

no need to swear.. deary me we all know what WTF means.. tut tut

You keep printing my name as kippax... its childish...

go and have a lie down mate.. your getting confused and upset I can tell... maybe some fresh air or something. a valium perhaps.... anything but calm down... ranting raving and swearing you will ahve a short life.... have a wine gum ....

entwisi · 22-09-2005, 13:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by dazzalam

wich was a better system betamax or vhs, betamax far more superior, so why did vhs outlive it because it became the industry standard, and the retailers and video rental stores killed it off,

Having worked in the AV industry the reason we in the UK ended up with VHS where as a lot of teh world used Beta was commercial. During development at Sony teh first system developed was what we know as VHS. The developers weren't happy with the quality of picture so continued and eventually came up with Betamax. Sony therefore made Betamax video recorders under their name. At the time JVC and ferguson came togther and bought the license for the inferior VHS system from Sony. They started making video recorders under their own names. As the price of these monsters was high(£1K+) the majority of the public couldn't afford to buy them and so tried to rent them. The big players in the rental market(Granada, Radio Rentals etc) approached Sony to buy their better quality recorders. The only thing was that they wanted to rebrand the machines under their own names. Sony didn't want this so refused. They then approached JVC/Ferguson who were only too happy to sell them anything they wanted no matter what name was on the box. This way they majority of machines out there were VHS. As such the rental shops stocked more VHS tapes than Beta. New customers who were thinking of buying/renting a machine would go into the shop and see 3 walls of VHS and 1 wall of Beta tapes. They would then go and get a VHS machine as there was more choice. Hence we are were we are.

Now who can tell me why it is called Betamax? I'm not a rich man but 50 Ackers to whoever gets it.

Ian

WillowTheWhisp · 22-09-2005, 14:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by dazzalam

wich was a better system betamax or vhs,

Actually I thought V2000 was better than both of them and if there was still healthy competition out there the world would be a better place IMO. I've still got an old machine gathering dust somewhere up in the attic. It was in full working order until we had a minor catastrophe some years ago in the shape of an "upside down" flood. But alas monopolies seem to have the monopoly, but that doesn't mean we should just sit back and accept that, if there are alternatives.

Hey I know people who only use their PC for playing games on and it's highly unlikely they would care what browser they had. It's beyond me why they even care what keyboard or monitor they have either in some cases but I've seen people go for a new PC because they like the colour of the hardware.