Opera: The Best Worst Browser?

I have also used Opera from its inception. Well, if you consider the speed it is the best in the market, specially with low speed connections and slower machines with low memory it is the best. As for the mobile apps with slower processor speeds it is the best.

Contrary to what was stated in the article, Opera never has been, and is not now, accessible to blind users. I don't doubt that it has a myriad of keyboard commands, but they are of no value if the web page itself is not presented in a manner that screen-readers can display in a useful manner. Opera may be a good browser for visually impaired, not blind, users if they can read the screen reasonably efficiently with sight. It is unuseable by blind users and as such, does not deserve a high accessibility rating.

I would strongly suggest that, before commenting on the accessibility of a program for blind users, that you contact reliable sources such as the NFB, National Federation of the Blind, ACB American Council of the Blind, or screen-reader designers such as Freedom Scientific (JAWS screen-reader) or G. W. Micro (Window-eyes screen-reader.) A program may appear accessible to the casual observer but may not be.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Did you read the article? I said it includes page zooming for visually impaired users. I never mentioned that it was "accessible to blind users."

On my desktop (Windows OS) I use Chrome, IE & FireFox and lean toward FireFox. There are basicly because some websites that are still designed only for these 3.

On my cellphone I used Opera Mini on my Droid with much greater success than any other browser for speed as I am not going to the same sites that would have problems with this browser. I love this browser on my cell besides being fast it is more efficiently setup and easier to use on this platform in my opinion.

After reading your glowing reports about the accessibility of Opera, I checked with people who were much wiser about such technology. I was very sad to hear that this product was not accessible. Hope you can be more accurate on other reviews.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Accessible to who? For what purpose? What I said was that it includes keyboard shortcuts for those who cannot use a mouse, and page zooming for the visually impaired. Clearly, both are true. If you have a semantic bone to pick, I'm not interested.

I have used Opera since I first started using the BeOS and that was years ago. Still like it and use it most of the time.

I have used Opera off and on for many years. I always seem to find some frustration with the browser after deciding to use it again. It is usually an issue with one of the Websites I enjoy visiting.

In the last six months, I started using Opera again as my main browser, and I have not had any problems with it. In fact, I discovered that if I do have an issue, I can change the way the browser identifies itself, and that usually fixes the problem. I love Opera Mini on my smartphone.

Yes, I read the article. I wrote what I did in part because another blind person asked on an e-mail list of which I am a member if the program is accessible after reading your article.

The term "visually impaired" is often used as a euphomism because sighted people are uncomfortable using the word "blind." For that reason, using the term does not rule out that you are addressing blind users. Your comments on short cut keys also imply that you are saying that the browser is accessible for blind users. If someone is visually impaired and can still use the browser visually, they are probably using a mouse. therefore, comments about being able to carry out almost all commands from the keyboard would appear to be addressed to blind users. I don't know what your intent was. Whatever it was, it is perfectly reasonable to interpret your comments as implying that Opera is accessible for blind users.

Since you praised it's accessibility for visually impaired users, shouldn't it's lack of accessibility for blind users have been stated as a deficiency in the browser?

EDITOR'S NOTE: I'm not going to argue the point that Opera has no features specifically for blind users. But obviously page zooming would be of no value if you're truly blind. If you can't see, it doesn't matter how big the words are. However, there are plenty of visually impaired or low-vision users who do find the Page Zooming feature very helpful.

And just so you know, I didn't have blind users in mind when I mentioned keyboard shortcuts. Those who might benefit from this include users with carpal tunnel syndrome, Parkinson's, cerebral palsy or paralysis.

Might i add www.palemoon.com to the mix; i use it and love it because its not a clone of MS as others are; try it you might like it.

It avoids i.e. like its not real - later

I HAVE BEEN USING OPERA SINCE 2006..its awesome...i tried IE,CHROME,FIREFOX,FLOCK,SAFARI etc bt i prefer opera now.I still have IE and chrome on my machine bt opera is way ahead in functionality.

kudos opera.

I have been using IE9 mostly. And IE10 in the Windows 8 Developers Preview. I have used Opera off and on for several years. With absolutely no trouble. And yes, Opera is very user friendly. My son does have cerebral palsy. It is easier for him. He has an on screen keyboard which works well. Opera Mini came installed on my phone and it works great. I think I might switch back on my PC for a while.

I have used Opera now and again over the last 15 years ( I think I originally installed it from a PC Mag software sampler CD), but for some reason, I never found it to be comfortable enough to be my main browser. More than anything, I have been a loyal Mozilla/Netscape/Firefox user since the beginning of my internet experience, but I'm certainly ready to try out Opera again and see what it has to offer. Thank you for the review, Bob!

I've tried Opera Mobile on my android. It does have trouble displaying some websites, so I'm using dolphin instead.

I downloaded Opera (browser), hoping to get a faster browser instead what I did get were "spy bots and tracking cookies"!! If I wanted Opera to view my surfing I would have asked them to! BEWARE of Opera, if you use it make sure you have a good defense program to detect maleware, tracking cookies, spy bots, etc., that will detect them and delete them! This is how I found out about Opera.If you need a quick browser try Avant.com, also if you use Firefox there is a section at their web site called "fasterfox" and it will speed up the browser to the max. Good , safe,surfing to all.

Dear Bob,
After reading your insightful article about Opera I decided to give it a try. Frankly i did not like it. Probably what puts me off is that i do not want to devote time to learn it.
Preferring Chrome's minimalistic view makes Opera feel too cluttered for me. I prefer to go beyond my browser to access services like Picasa than have similar and other services on the browser itself.
Re Opera link. If one forgets username or password there is no way to reset them. Or am i wrong about this?

I don't know if opera is the 'best' browser, but of all the ones I've tried it suits me best.

I'm a writer and the thing I value most in all computer programmes is reliability. I've been using Opera since you had to pay for it, and some people told me I was an idiot when there were 'free' browsers around.

It was the first alternative I tried when I moved from an 8-bit CPM computer, which used LYNX as a text only browswer, to one of those 'new-fangled' 32 bit machines with Windows 95.

I dare say a certain amount of 'brand loyalty' comes into it after all these years. But it does everything I need from a browser

I still have an ancient copy of IE6 which gets pressed into use occasionally on sites which won't play nicely with Opera.

I regularly clean out the history etc and this keeps it zipping along.

For the person who said it gradually slows down over time my solution, apart from normally staying one step behind the upgrades to avoid any teething problems, is to delete and reinstall once a year. It works for me and is well worth the few minutes needed.

I tried Chrome and it hurt my eyes. Quite seriously. I realise I could have probably customised, but lacked the patience to experiment further when Opera suits me so well.

As with so many things in computing it's about what works for *you*, not jumping on the latest bandwagon just to be one of the 'in' crowd.

Gyppo

Opera is a conundrum. Without a doubt, Opera has the best framework and programming behind its GUI. Personalizing your menu is extremely easy, and has very few limitations. I've personally rewritten the entire standard_menu.ini, standard_toolbar.ini, standard_keyboard.ini and have my own standard_skin.zip now.

Unlike Firefox that uses obtrusive XML sheets all buried underneath each other in an utter catastrophic mess. (In some cases, they don't even check their official "key assignments xml.") AND, you have to MANUALLY update these sheets for each version update, unlike Opera which will "fill in the blanks."

What the youts of this generation do not understand is that I don't NEED a GUI to modify Opera. I don't NEED to make things excessively complicated to perform simple alterations. While Firefox is completely open and acts like it means something, Opera is trying to create REAL standards to allow people to modify anything WITHOUT resorting to low level "browser hacking."

I use Opera since started, in my computer and Android phone. Some minor issues with a few page structures.
I think is the best, thou

First of all I am a frequent user of the internet but am not very knowledgeable overall.
I use Opera almost exclusively with which I am very happy.
Have used IE, Chrome, Firefox and for me Opera is far and away the best.
IE is too cluttered, Chrome I did not like and Firefox would work well for a period of time but then would continually crash or freeze.
Have not had any negative issues with Opera.

can opera work with game sites, I use pogo.com and also can it be used with Java as some of the games on there use Java as well as flash embedded games.

please advise that is what is stopping me from getting it.

I have win 7 on here and only ie 11. nothing else. also can it be used with xp that is on my other old computer. also used for above game site. on the xp got the old ie 8 that still works somewhat and firefox. but as some on here say firefox does crash at times.

An annoyance of Opera that I wish would get fixed is, when a page crashes, and there's a button on the opera's crashed page provided by opera that's labeled "Reload this page" that doesn't work.

If you click on opera's "Back" button, even though the page the back button is supposed to bring you to, is still there, you're still shown the "Crashed Page," no matter how many pages you should be able to click back through.

I used to use Firefox, but I got tired of "(Not Responding)" error in the titled bar and having to wait for it to finally respond. Things I've tried, hoping it would make things better are, new Harddrive with a fresh install of Windows, downloaded and installed the latest version of web browsers, anti-virus, anti-malware, etc. Still same problems.

I'm still using opera, hoping they'll fix the "Crashed page" problem.