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Opera Turns 10, Gives Away Free Registrations

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the i-still-just-don't-get-it dept.

osvejda writes "Opera Software ASA is celebrating 10-year anniversary of its browser. As a surprise party favor they're giving away free registration codes (for as long as the party lasts). Also see photos from the party, listen to music by employees, play games and more."

37 of 583 comments (clear)

  1. The one thing keeping me from using Opera by PhrostyMcByte · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Zooming with the scroll wheel also zooms the images. I only want it to zoom text (like Firefox). Anyone know how to change this behavior?

    1. Re:The one thing keeping me from using Opera by blueskies · · Score: 4, Insightful

      That's what I love about it...who else has a real zoom? That and the lack of multiple document interfaces that all of the other browsers I've tried are lacking. Most are SDI with a tab hack.

  2. About time by DoddyUK · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The very thing that's put me off Opera is the fact that you have to *pay* to get rid of adverts, especially considering that it's a web browser. I mean, why pay when you gan get a free alternative elsewhere? *cough* Firefox *cough* Still, happy birthday to them.

    --
    Some think the Internet is a bad thing. I just think that AOL is a bad thing.
    1. Re:About time by frodo+from+middle+ea · · Score: 2, Insightful
      Do ya get mad at the gas station when gas prices were higher yesterday than they were today, too?

      I sure as hell would, if I filled up my tank yesterday.

      --
      for the last time people, I am "frodo from middle eaRTH", not "middle eaST".
    2. Re:About time by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      I suppose having to pay is a downside. And it's not that I don't like Firefox... However, I'm currently running both Firefox and Opera under Windows, each with 3 tabs opened to the same 3 pages, and this is what I see in Task Manager:

      Firefox.exe - 34,992 K
      Opera.exe - 13,968 K

      That's why I use Opera most of the time.

      Happy B-day to Opera.

    3. Re:About time by Bronz · · Score: 3, Insightful


      Because when you look at a lot of the popular browser innovations, Opera has been a fundamental cornerstone. Tabbed browsing, mouse gestures, a built-in BitTorrent client. All happily working together with a blazingly fast browser. And it's cross-platform. Firefox is a great browser... #2 in my list... but I don't mind rewarding people for innovation. Be it a coprorate entity, shareware registration or a donation to an OSS project.

    4. Re:About time by feargal · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I'll bite. Why pay? Well, if you're one of the smelly's then obviously all software should be free.

      However if you want to know why some people feel it worthwhile to pay a company for their product, then I have two reasons:

      First, Opera has given me years of painless browsing on FreeBSD since back in the days when the only alternative was the hideously unstable Netscape 4. Gone were the days of "rm -f ~/.netscape/lock && netscape" and in were the days of saved sessions, mouse gestures, and tabbed browsing, not to mention blistering speed. Firefox has only been as usable for a relatively short time. Yes java was a pain, but that was as much FreeBSD related as it was Opera related.

      Second, I wept tears of laughter when they released the "Bork" edition of Opera.

      For either reason, I would have happily paid for it; except I don't have a credit card and so they've collected ad revenue instead.

      I can understand people who switched from IE when Firefox not seeing the point. I suspect however that the number of people who switched from Opera to Firefox is much lower.

      --
      "A goldfish was his muse, eternally amused"
    5. Re:About time by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Didn't matter about non-commercial use. When Microsoft started offering IE for free, most people's internet experience was still limited to whatever they'd get at work (John Doe still didn't have a PC at home or an internet connection). For corporations, IE was free and Netscape wasn't. So they dumped Netscape in favor of IE and since the corps defined the marketshare, they turned it into 99% IE. By the time John Doe got around to buying a PC, IE was the most familiar and Netscape was just about gone.

  3. Re:Opera isn't free by thc69 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'll feed the troll...

    Most of the features in question existed in Opera long before somebody made an extension for FF. In fact, there's quite a few FF extensions whose name or description refers to Opera.

    My FF has 93 extensions, at least half of which are features that are standard in Opera. I won't bother to discuss startup and page load speeds.

    --
    Procrastination -- because good things come to those who wait.
  4. Re:Never had a reason to use Opera by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Welcome to Slashdot. Replace IE with Firefox and it would be modded +5 Insightful in 10 seconds. Nevermind that for most people, IE is virusfree and pop-up free...

  5. Re:Weeeeeeee! by LnxAddct · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I would be pissed as hell if I had paid for Opera yesterday or even within the last few months.
    Regards,
    Steve

  6. Re:Never had a reason to use Opera by tont0r · · Score: 2, Insightful

    shouldnt this be modded as funny?

  7. As usual... by MSFanBoi · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If you use Opera, FireFox or Mozilla you can do no wrong.
    Use IE, and you are a troll.
    Go figure.

    1. Re:As usual... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Typical clueless response (Troll me if you want - I know this is anti MS /.). IE works fine if you know how to protect yourself. As said so many damn times. You aren't 100% secure in FireFox, Mozilla, or whatever you use either. And never will be. Just because you do not know how to use IE right, doesn't mean that those who do, are trolls. You are a troll for being so damn bias.

  8. Re:Never had a reason to use Opera by Bronz · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Candles work great for me too, but I still like electric lights. Built-in mouse gestures, tabbed browsing, BitTorrent client, mail client, irc client, RSS reader, completely customizable interface, screen reader ... cross platform ... ability to (easily) shut off images, flash, animated gifs, cookies, doesn't take 4 minutes to clear its cache ... And its all of 3MBs.

    You might not know what you are missing.

  9. Re:Kudos Opera and quickie registration link by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    smart companies realise this just pisses off paying customers.

  10. Re:Codes are for by semifamous · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Yes, but the fact that you can add all of those features (including that "Tab Groups" feature you wanted and more) to Firefox with Extensions is what makes Firefox so great. If you want a feature, just grab the extension. I like how much Firefox can be customized.

    Can I have Flashblock in Opera? How about something like the "NukeAnything" extension? Can I configure it to automatically open new tabs when I type an address in the address bar? I'm sure there's a way to do that. I just haven't found it yet. Can someone point me there? I'm going to give Opera a try since it's free, but so far, I can't figure out how to get things the way I have them in Firefox.

  11. Re:how are they surviving by gasaraki · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Because I find Opera much more stable and reliable, much faster and just a lot easier to work with. To give a random example of something I consider really essential that Firefox does not have, where is the unified keybinding interface? Some (very few) keys you can change, sure, but at least 50% of them are hardcoded into the core files and basically impossible to edit meaningfully. To me this is just ridiculous.

  12. Re:how are they surviving by joelsanda · · Score: 2, Insightful

    To rephrase, why ought I migrate to Opera?

    Well, perhaps I can't answer for you but I can tell for me, my switch to Opera happened before Firefox was stable enough for everyday use.

    Consider this: the web browser is a tool - nothing more nothing less. Like most tools one gets what they pay for. $40 for a great tool (fast, stable, compatible, and extremely configurable) is cheap.

    Opera is to Internet Explorer what the BMW is to the Chrysler K car (for those old enough to remember those!).

    --
    The Luddites were ahead of their time.
  13. Re:Opera isn't free by Gorath99 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Opera bloated? Powerful, sure, but bloated? I have both Opera and FF (with Flashblock being the only extension) open, with the same sites loaded and Opera uses about 20MB of ram, while FF uses over 100MB. The download was a heck of a lot smaller too.

    I'll probably stick to FF, since I don't really like Opera's interface, but if bloat was an issue, I'd switch to Opera in a heartbeat.

  14. Re:Easy instructions by loner0208 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Another hint: keep hitting reload, and you can get unlimited reg codes.

    What's the point? You only need one set, and the more you get the more you deprive others from getting a set too.

  15. Re:how are they surviving by taskforce · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Your post makes out as if Mozilla is the Be All End All of browsers and that it's the final evolution of said program. Many people prefer Opera; it's an excellent browser in my opinion and feature for feature is more useful and reliable than Mozilla. (And I use both extensively.) Obviously I can see why paying $40 (The same cost as a night of pizza and coke with friends?) might put some people off, but I still would highly reccomend people try at least the ad-free version, or just snap up a registration code for free today. (Nobody is forcing you to use it.)

    --
    My 3D Texturing Skinning work (under construction)
  16. Re:the day MS gives software away for free by thetejon · · Score: 2, Insightful

    So, in the end, Microsoft does give away free licenses, but makes money off it anyways...

    Isn't that the whole point of free giveaways? To generate more sales?

    As much as people (myself included) may hate Microsoft, some of the things they do are just good business.

  17. Re:how are they surviving by magetoo · · Score: 3, Insightful
    Opera users especially, are aware of the existance of Firefox, so what is keeping the relatively small portion of Opera users from switching to Firefox, and what's still drawing in new users into the Opera club?
    Well, I think it might actually be the fact that Opera is good at what it does. (Gasp!)

    (Why should Opera users particularly want to switch to Firefox anyway? Is there an offer of 72 virgin brides in Heaven after you die or something that makes it worthwhile?)

    Seriously, I'd say it's because Opera just gets the job done. You can pimp your FF installation all you want and it will have a ton of features not present in Opera, but for 90% of what you do, all you'll ever need is already present in the base install (of Opera). And it's not a particularly large download either. Plus it really is fast.

    Whether you should migrate ... well, you should at least try it for a week, then you'll know enough to decide which was the best for you. You can always switch back.

  18. Its still no good by chrisjwray · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I used to like opera before I found firefox and dropped it because I couldnt use it for my online banking whereas firefox works fine and doesnt crash all the time. Just took up their free offer, installed it and ..... it still doesnt work.

    Perhaps in a later release guys. Nice gesture though.

    PS, if anybody can use opera with HSBC UK online banking then let me know how.

  19. Re:the day MS gives software away for free by monkeydo · · Score: 2, Insightful

    How is that different than Opera giving away free keys so that more people will use their browser?

    --
    Si vis pacem, para bellum
    The only thing more annoying than a Libertarian is an (un|mis)informed Libertarian
  20. Guilt by adolfojp · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I preach Opera like a Jehovah's Witness preaches... well... Jehovah.

    It is like firefox, with most of the extensions installed, without hoarding your memory, and completelly integrated. Oh, It also reads your mail. It is a 4MB download.

    Opera spoiled me because now I cannot use any browser that doesn't use Sessions. Its usability is superb, nothing comes close. Every single detail has been polished.

    I have always used the ads to support Opera. Specially since the ad sense ads that occupy the same screen real estate as a toolbar. Getting a free version makes me feel rather guilty actually.If only Microsoft made me feel that way :-)

    Adolfo

  21. Re:Kudos Opera and quickie registration link by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    No, this is a terrible idea, it makes people like me who actually paid them for the registration feel like suckers and are unlikely to give them more money in the future.

  22. Alternative Browser by bunratty · · Score: 2, Insightful

    It's nice to have another browser to use when a website you want to visit doesn't work in your browser of choice. Many sites that don't work in Mozilla do work in Opera, and vice versa.

    --
    What a fool believes, he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away.
  23. Re:how are they surviving by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I work at Microsoft. Even I got pissed at IE 6.

      I decided to try Opera:
    - superfast install
    - works immediately
    - Zoom, fit-to-page
    - Cookie management that makes sense (that is, off until I add the site to my whitelist)
    - I put the checkboxes on the toolbar for enabling JScript, plugins, cookies, animated GIFs. I only turn them on when I want to see something.

    Now I use IE only for trusted sites, and Opera for the great unwashed Internet (such as Slashdot).

    I'll try IE 7 to see if it's better, but IE 6 is nowhere near customizable enough for my taste.

    Why not Firefox? Never bothered to check it out, and I consider Opera more secure (which is why I use it).

  24. IE, Media Player were free and everyone bitched by billstewart · · Score: 2, Insightful
    When Microsoft charges money for software or features, everybody bitches because they're a greedy monopoly. But when MS includes features for free, everybody bitches and sues them, because they're evil greedy monopolists trying to undercut their competition.

    The Eurocrats recently forced them to release a version with no media player on it, which everybody viewed as silly and ignored. But earlier, when they gave away IE for free, Netscape got the Feds to investigate them, because MS was greedily interfering with Netscape's business model of giving away browsers for free...

    --

    Bill Stewart
    New Fast-Compression-only CPR http://preview.tinyurl.com/dy575ks
    1. Re:IE, Media Player were free and everyone bitched by delus10n0 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      This never made sense to me-- Apple is doing the same thing, yet it's ok? I mean, iTunes, Garage Band, iPhoto, iMovie, etc..

      People who purchase Windows expect certain features in a modern OS, such as web browsing, video editing, photo manipulation, multimedia playback, etc.-- why is it wrong for Microsoft to include these features in an OS _they_ made and sold?

      --
      Not All Who Wander Are Lost
    2. Re:IE, Media Player were free and everyone bitched by spisska · · Score: 3, Insightful

      People who purchase Windows expect certain features in a modern OS, such as web browsing, video editing, photo manipulation, multimedia playback, etc.-- why is it wrong for Microsoft to include these features in an OS _they_ made and sold?

      First off, MS is a convicted monopolist; Apple is not. This means that Apple has a whole lot more flexibility in what software they can bundle -- since Apple doesn't own 19 of 20 desktops, nobody can claim that shipping OS X with iMovie is blocking out competitors (particularly since pro-quality video editing suites sell rather well on the Mac platform).

      It isn't illegal to be a monopoly per se. If everyone in the market decides your product is the best, then more power to you. What is most certainly illegal, however, is using a dominant position in one market (such as, oh say operating systems) to leverage a dominant position in other markets (like, oh say media players and web browsers). Laws on this matter are clear, and MS has had more than a fair trial in both the US and EU and was convicted each time. Unfortunately, the punishment in the US amounted to MS being sent to bed without supper for a night a few years ago.

      See, Microsoft isn't bothered with creating a superior media player or browser. They'd rather just subvert existing standards to run only on their software (eg (among many) .asf, .wmv, dhtml, etc, etc). This isn't illegal because MS makes the OS and WMP, but because MS uses their OS dominance to ensure that everyone uses WMP instead of any other media app, and that providers create content that is compatible with (and only with) WMP. It didn't work with html, and it's not going to work with media, but that doesn't mean that they won't try.

      Second, of the things you mention, only web browsing and media playback come bundled with MS Windows. There is no included video editing and no included photo manipulation -- at least nothing capable of doing anything serious.

      Anyone buying MS Windows and expecting to be able to edit photos and home videos out of the box is going to be sorely dissapointed. The fact that these come standard with other operating systems only proves the point that people who "expect certain features in a modern OS" would be better off with a truly modern OS like OS X or GNU/Linux

  25. Re:Oh gee. Free registration codes. by dotdan · · Score: 1, Insightful

    For old systems, http://kmeleon.sf.net/ is your best bet. Granted, it's Windows-only, but it has a Gecko base and is insanely fast.

  26. Opera Inc is actually a good company! by mritunjai · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Opera inc are actually a nice bunch of folks:

    1. Unobstrusive ads (google text ads), commercial != bad, google makes money from ads and your pizza ain't free.

    2. These people are pioneers of key browser features. Tabbed browsing, standards support, integrated mail/news/RSS/IRC/BT client, mail labels (what Gmail did later), etc etc

    3. Opera folks are in staunch opposition to software patents. Inspite of fact that they did all those features waaay before anybody else, they haven't patented anything. Their CEO said in an statement that Opera is opposed to the concept of software patents.

    Folks, the product is worth the money. They are good people(TM) and that is reason enough these days to support them.

    --
    - mritunjai
  27. Re:how are they surviving by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I'd say custimizable keybinding are step 2. Before that, keybindings should just work reliably in the first place, which they don't. I really can't count the number of times I have to click in a tab after changing to it to make even such basic keys like page up and page down work. Sometimes (and that's by far the most annoying) even CTRL+Tab and CTRL+W don't work, so one absolutely has to reach for the mouse to be able to ever do anything with the keyboard in that window. (and, no focus is not in the url/search/find bar in those moments, enter, escape or tab don't help either)

  28. Re:Never had a reason to use Opera by kayen_telva · · Score: 2, Insightful

    did you just say...that for most people, Internet Explorer is virus and pop up free ?

    get out from under the bridge much ?