A night at the Opera

While Microsoft`s Internet Explorer (IE) has held the Web browser limelight for the past two years having understudied one-time star Netscape, another player has been waiting quietly in the wings. With its fifth release, Opera has sneaked through the curtain, and is clearly eyeing the protagonist`s role.

Opera`s Web browser was hatched in Norway in 1994 and now boasts between one and 1.5 million users. With the release of Opera 5 for Windows, the company has decided to offer its browser for free, as it has been fighting a losing battle with Internet Explorer-friendly Web sites.

Opera claims to be the most standards-compliant browser available, following the World Wide Web Consortium`s (W3C`s) standards closely. IE uses proprietary technologies like ActiveX, which also lock Web users into Windows - the only platform ActiveX will run on.

Opera`s strict adherence to standards does have its downfalls, though. Many Web designers utilise the proprietary features of IE to increase their sites` features, functionality, and design.

Although non-compliant sites are fortunately few and far between, we were disappointed to discover that ABSA`s site is definitely not standards-compliant. Without IE, Internet banking is impossible because of the way the site navigates users to the secure zone, while the front page`s links do not function.

Nevertheless, using Opera after years of Internet Explorer is like a breath of fresh air. The company claims Opera is the fastest browser available, and with lower bandwidth connections and slower computers the difference is clearly visible.

This makes Opera perfectly suited to SA`s slow Internet connections. Another boon for local users is the development of an Afrikaans language pack, although we have still to see evidence of a tweetalige Opera. It does support a host of other foreign languages, with the latest development promising a Celtic version in the near future.

Opera 5 is feature-rich, and includes a built-in mail program and an instant messaging system that allows you to connect to your ICQ account. Instead of opening up a session for every page, Opera does it all in one, leaving your task bar uncluttered. This also allows you to view multiple Web pages simultaneously - an especially useful feature while waiting for pages to download.

While waiting for those pages, you can get a good idea of your bandwidth throughput - Opera gives you the normal percentage bar, and adds a count of images that are downloading, as well as presenting your current byte speed per page.

Opera`s application program interface is similar to Netscape`s, so most plug-ins that work with Netscape also function with Opera. Flash installed and worked seamlessly on the system.

Once you have finished your Opera session, the application gives you the option of saving your window layout. When you return, you can continue exactly where you left off; with all the same pages open as you left them. In the case of the usual Windows crash, Opera will still restore from where it left off.

If you want to get really close to your subject matter the browser provides a zoom function, allowing magnification 1 000 times the original size. This feature has been significantly improved since it was first introduced in Opera and text and graphics both scale very well. Zooming out also allows you a bird`s eye view of the pages.

We are glad to report that ITWeb`s site is perfectly compliant with Opera, except for one little alignment problem near the bottom of the page. The designer responsible will be duly whipped.

Opera`s emergence onto the stage proves the browser wars will not be over till the fat lady sings.

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