[Opera-users] basic browser

[Tass]

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{  BEGIN ORIGINAL MESSAGE  }}}}}}}}}}}}}}

On 06/10/01 at 12:05 PM   
I was just minding my own business when
opera-users-request at opera.com wrote:

>)Message: 5
>)From: Sue Sims <sue at opera.com>
>)To: opera-users at opera.com
>)Subject: Re: [Opera-users] basic browser
>)Date: Sat, 09 Jun 2001 10:30:28 -0400
>)Organization: Opera Software A/S
>)Reply-To: opera-users at opera.com
>)
>)On Sat, 09 Jun 2001 05:11:38 -0700, Preston Petty
>)<presp at earthlink.net>  wrote:
>)
>)>Awhile back, 
>)>Sue solicited feedback from Opera users regarding
>)>the (forced) inclusion of an email/IM into the browser.
>)>AFIK, over 100% <G> of the "poll" respondents indicated
>)>they DID NOT want anything but the browser.
>)
>)My results differed a bit form 100% ;-)
>)
>)>If Opera felt compelled to include extra stuff then
>)>they should make it as plugins.
>)
>)>What happend, or is happening, to the results?
>)>Did anybody (management wise) pay attention to it?
>)
>)I don't know whether it made management's day to receive the results,
>)as I haven't gotten any feedback.
>)
>)I do know that Opera wants to make its users happy, and that balancing
>)that want against the difficulty of a task is sometimes hard.
>)Additionally, it might be that, since all vestiges of the IM and
>)e-mail clients can be removed manually, they may find that
>)customization is unnecessary.
>)
>)I don't know that; it is just a guess. 
>)
>)Sue
>)Who has guessed wrong in the past...the recent past...yesterday.
>)

=====-----=====-----=====-----=====-----=====-----=====----=====-----=====
-------=====------===== END ORIGINAL MESSAGE=====------======-------

I wasn't part of the survey; wasn't even aware one took place.  
No matter now.

But since the subject has been raised, one of the things I've 
enjoyed about Opera all this time is that unlike many other apps, 
It DIDN'T try to be "all-things" to all people.  
It was a browser.  A damn good browser.  And that's what it did.  

It was quite capable of handling all of my browsing needs.  My 
Email client, Calypso, does a great job of handling my Email, and 
for the very few IM's I have with family, every IM out there can 
be obtained as an independent down-load.  

I was quite disappointed to find Email and IM included in recent 
versions as it has always been my understanding that integration 
of programs and of the OS was one of the things that Opera was 
helping us fight.  

If these new "features" have colored my view of Opera, it is only by 
a couple of shades.  
But I must say, every new "feature" that is actually a new built in 
program, only serves to add the dreaded "bloat", just like that of the 
"big pigs" and therefore, makes Opera look (and feel) more and more 
just like them every day.
Since I haven't had more than a passing glance at other people's IE or 
NS for more than a couple of years, I can't say how much Opera is 
now like them.  
But from what I remember of them, These latest versions are starting 
to brings back some not-so-fond memories.  :-)  

At this point, I still wouldn't trade my Opera for anything.  But it would 
make my day if up-coming versions were a browser.  JUST a browser.  
One with worth while pluggin program options maybe, but without 
being the much dreaded "bloat-ware" that for so long, Opera proudly 
claimed NOT to be.  

Just my opinion since nobody asked.

T