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Introduction Opera is a World Wide Web client, ie. a program for retrieving information on the World Wide Web via documents created with the HyperText Markup Language (HTML). Opera was designed from scratch and doesn't use code based on NCSA Mosaic. The advantages for you, the user, are obvious: no unnecessary overheads, no bloat, no speed compromise - only the latest programming techniques and expertise, resulting in fast, stable code that - unlike many competitors - adheres to the HTML standards set by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). What makes Opera so different is the combination of small size, speed of loading both Internet and local HTML documents, versatility in loading and displaying webpages, its many customization option and its sheer functionality. Through its unique features, Opera can help you save precious online time and avoid frustration, particularly when you are on the road. Features you don't want to miss Opera is the only commercial browser that supports the highest level of security: 128bit SSL 2 and 3, as well as TLS 1.0. No need to compromise your security with only 40bits or 56bits. 128bit encryption is considered impossible to hack, making for a secure online shopping, banking and soon also e-mail communication experience. Opera can open multiple windows (SHIFT-Left mouse button Click) rather than multiple browsers, which saves memory and time and provides you with a lot of power when it comes to document navigation and management. Another unique feature to open a new document window in the background, without overlapping the one you are currently reading (SHIFT-CTRL-Left mouse button Click). A real boon and timesaver when you surf through large search engine listings or links pages. You can toggle the graphics display in realtime (G), and not just via your general preferences. This means that if a document loads slowly because of too many graphics or large image sizes, one click speeds up the loading process dramatically. Many web documents are not nice to look at. So if you come across a document that has a light text colour on a dark background, you can toggle between the document settings and the user settings with one click (CTRL-G). If the font size of a document is too small, you can zoom in and out + and from 20% to 1000%! Opera supports a large number of Netscape-compatible plug-ins, including the 32bit Java Plug-in from Sun. A number of supported plug-ins can be found here. Opera can also be used to retrieve information using FTP, Gopher and WAIS, and for reading newsgroups. The same simple user interface is used for all these services. You can also send electronic mail using Opera or link to an external mail program. Furthermore Opera can play MID and WAV sound files (utilizing a plug-in), display GIF and JPG images, play AVI videos (provided you have Video for Windows installed). With the use of plug-ins, Opera can also display a large number of multimedia files. Opera has been written for Microsoft Windows, and uses the standard Windows program design philosophy. Users will therefore recognize most of the functions from other programs, such as text editing, etc. The menus follow the standards, the button bar has the normal sequence, and other features -- ie. the ability to have multiple windows open simultaneously -- will be familiar from the normal MS Windows use. The many customization options will soon convince you, too, and show the web the way you want -- using your personal preferences. The developers of Opera have always made sure that the program is easy to use for as many people as possible. As a result, they have included the ability to use the program with the keyboard, which will be useful for all those who are not comfortable with prolonged use of a mouse. The emphasis has been on fast and simple access to the important functions, making it also friendly for those with different handicaps. Opera's developers are also concerned that it should be possible to use the Internet without being a language specialist. It is always useful to learn another language, but the intention is that you will be able to buy this program in your own language. Opera has already been produced in: Norwegian (Bokm�l and Nynorsk) English German Spanish Castellano Swedish French Italian Afrikaans Hungarian We also are working on these languages: Danish Portuguese Russian Polish Finnish |