Monday, November 5, 2007
A Call for Myths
What Opera Myths have you heard? Do you have links to or copies of wild claims you'd like to see researched and either debunked or proven? Post them below or e-mail me at bulkhater at hotmail.com to feed the need for information.
Myth: Opera is bug free
I've heard the claim that Opera is magically bug free form a variety of sources. This is an odd claim given the fact that even an official Opera blog lists some known bugs. Take a look at the ones I highlighted:
If this is what they ADMIT, I wonder what they're keeping hidden? Opera's tiny user base means few security researchers are looking for vulnerabilities, so there's no telling what issues lurk under the hood.
Basically, if you run anything other than Windows 2000, X or Vista or you try to use any services from Google or Yahoo, your browser will crash and burn like the Hindenburg. For example, you can't use Blogger in Opera. Google's efforts to increase it's business presence are further frustrated when it comes to Opera users, as Opera is incompatible with Google Documents.
Known issues
* [BUG 264975] Fixed display of smileys in mail and chat (almost fixed)
* [BUG 290358] Bookmarks cannot be selected from the Bookmarks menu
* [BUG 290355] Opera crashes when clicking bookmarks in Personal bar
* If you used the Brushed Metal skin in the previous release, Opera for OS X will crash on startup
* This build fails the Acid2 test
* [BUG 284849] Yahoo! Mail beta, Flickr maps, Google reader may crash Opera
* Won't run correctly on Windows 95 or 98
* OS X version may cause persistent freezes on start-up
* POP server cleaning has been disabled: When disabling the "Leave messages on server" option, existing messages on the server are not removed
* [BUG 287170] On OS X, UI thumbnails have black backgrounds when using native skins
* [BUG 184894] Native OS X UI elements cannot be used in skins
* [BUG 280536] Opera on OS X will sometimes freeze when exiting Preferences
* [BUG 286384] Yahoo mail is broken
* [BUG 280261] Removing messages from filters does not work
* [BUG 213115] Queued mail is sent at the next check, instead of waiting for manual action
If this is what they ADMIT, I wonder what they're keeping hidden? Opera's tiny user base means few security researchers are looking for vulnerabilities, so there's no telling what issues lurk under the hood.
Basically, if you run anything other than Windows 2000, X or Vista or you try to use any services from Google or Yahoo, your browser will crash and burn like the Hindenburg. For example, you can't use Blogger in Opera. Google's efforts to increase it's business presence are further frustrated when it comes to Opera users, as Opera is incompatible with Google Documents.
Myth: Opera Passes the Acid 2 Test
One major test of w3 standards compliance is the so called "Acid 2 Test." The goal of the test is to use absurdly complex formatting rules to render a pixelated smiley face. Firefox and Internet Explorer fail this test in a spectacular manner. Until recently, Opera was the only web browser that passed the test.
As of version 9.5, Opera no longer passes the Acid 2 test.
Here's a sample image of what Opera 9.5 Alpha does to the Acid 2 test:
The nose doesn't blink, and portions of the image are chopped off. While not as comical as what other browsers do to the test, the fact remains that one of Opera's few claims to fame has been destroyed.
As of version 9.5, Opera no longer passes the Acid 2 test.
Here's a sample image of what Opera 9.5 Alpha does to the Acid 2 test:
The nose doesn't blink, and portions of the image are chopped off. While not as comical as what other browsers do to the test, the fact remains that one of Opera's few claims to fame has been destroyed.
Myth: Standards Compliance Means Something
Opera fans are fond of pointing out that Opera offers better support for W3 standards than any other browser.
The problem is those precious W3 standards have been pissed on by IE for so long no one gives a damn about them. Web sites are designed for IE, sometimes they're tweaked for less popular browsers like Safari and Firefox. If the resulting code HAPPENS to be standards compliant then the site will work in Opera, but no one takes advantage of Opera's "standards compliance." Who cares if it's the only browser that passed the "Acid Test" when no one ever designs a site that exploits it?
As far as competent web designers are concerned, Opera's wider support for W3 standards is nothing but an obscure feature set that would only be used by, at best, 1% of the web browsing population. Having such minuscule browser share means there's NO Return On Investment in supporting it.
If a site works in Opera, its an accident, not by design.
UPDATE: Opera no longer passes the Acid 2 test. Here's a sample image of what Opera 9.5 does when presented with the Acid 2 test page:
Notice that the top of the smiley face is chopped off.
So much for Opera standards compliance.
The problem is those precious W3 standards have been pissed on by IE for so long no one gives a damn about them. Web sites are designed for IE, sometimes they're tweaked for less popular browsers like Safari and Firefox. If the resulting code HAPPENS to be standards compliant then the site will work in Opera, but no one takes advantage of Opera's "standards compliance." Who cares if it's the only browser that passed the "Acid Test" when no one ever designs a site that exploits it?
As far as competent web designers are concerned, Opera's wider support for W3 standards is nothing but an obscure feature set that would only be used by, at best, 1% of the web browsing population. Having such minuscule browser share means there's NO Return On Investment in supporting it.
If a site works in Opera, its an accident, not by design.
UPDATE: Opera no longer passes the Acid 2 test. Here's a sample image of what Opera 9.5 does when presented with the Acid 2 test page:
Notice that the top of the smiley face is chopped off.
So much for Opera standards compliance.
Myth: Opera Users are Level Headed
The first thing I noticed about devoted Opera users is their general lack of sanity. Here's a sample exchange between myself and an Opera user:
I started with this:
The Opera user replied with the following. I've condensed a few separate e-mails into one message for readability. I'd responded to his messages with attempts to discuss Opera from a technological standpoint, but he replied with abuse and juvenile, jr. high level insults.
Is the above typical for Opera users? He seems convinced that I'm a mental degenerate for challenging his assumptions about Opera. It's a level of antagonism and retaliation you'd expect from a religious Zealot.
I started with this:
From: bulkhater
Subject: Market Share is irrelevant to reality.
The reality is no one uses Opera and as a result no one designs sites for it.
It doesn't matter how "good" it is, if no one is testing any of their web sites against it. It's like "Standards Support." It doesn't matter if Opera passes the "Acid Test" since NO ONE is designing sites that require it. People design sites for IE, and SOME places do a little testing in Safari and Firefox to make sure it's not TOO broken.
The Opera user replied with the following. I've condensed a few separate e-mails into one message for readability. I'd responded to his messages with attempts to discuss Opera from a technological standpoint, but he replied with abuse and juvenile, jr. high level insults.
From: Optimize Guides (optimizexp@comcast.net)
You have serious mental problems go seek psychological help
...
Take Ritalin
...
Nothing you can do to make it bigger you are stuck with the small man disease.
...
At the end of the day even a lobotomy cannot help you. No more responses in relation to my pages will be given to you since you are to mentally retarted to handle them. Please do not waste your time replying and instead go punch yourself in the balls.
Is the above typical for Opera users? He seems convinced that I'm a mental degenerate for challenging his assumptions about Opera. It's a level of antagonism and retaliation you'd expect from a religious Zealot.
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