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Is Facebook Going To Buy Opera?
New submitter x0d writes with this excerpt from the L.A. Times: "The Facebook spending spree may be continuing as a new report says the social networking giant might be looking to buy Norwegian company Opera Software. Now fully under the microscope of Wall Street as well as Main Street investors, Facebook is trying to solve its mobile monetizing problems and has been gobbling up various companies in recent months to increase its presence in the world of smartphones."
If they do, wont Opera be forgotten like Rockmelt is?
The opera mobile browser works by offloading a lot of work to a server run by opera. This would give facebook access to everything which goes through every mobile opera browser.
http://michaelsmith.id.au
I'm sure they could have picked up Internet Explorer for a steal. Imagine the positive effect on the stock price!
Task Mangler
It "turns out" that they have already independently developed their own browser.
Facebook to buy Western Digital. Because they're going to need all those drives to store EVERY. FUCKING. KEYSTROKE.
Opera owns Fastmail. Do you want Facebook to own your email?
Opera is the best browser out there. I don't trust Chrome not to report data about me to Google, and if Facebook buys Opera I wouldn't trust it not to report my browsing data to Facebook. I will have to move back to the mess that is Firefox
Hmmm .... Opera optionally bundles a web server (Opera Unite) with its browser. With music, photo and note sharing, I always thought that was Opera's attempt to be a P2P version of Facebook.
Who knows, Facebook may end up becoming more P2P-ish, a la Skype -- a centralised set of 'supernodes' that track who's talking/streaming photos/video/comments to whom (and keeps a copy), but without the infrastructure and delays their current 'hub and spoke' model requires.
That's why you don't give these fuckers money. They're going to ruin it for everyone, not just for the idiots who sign up for their walled garden.
I can't stand Facebook and refuse to have an account with the service, despite the continuing trend of many companies requiring an account for one thing or another, but if they were to buy Opera then that would mean they also acquire FastMail; my current email service. Over my dead body would I entrust my emails to Zuckerburg and his company.
Parent links to what looks like a scam warning but is actually an ad for another virus removal service...
Hmm. On an off topic note, I am starting to think that thing is a bot.
Might I suggest the /. admins that they employ a simple script that grabs the IP address (and whatever else) whenever someone posts with that text?
Then post the info to 4-Chan. I hear they have remarkable turn-around times when dealing with objects of sufficient irritation.
I am John Hurt.
On one hand I think the FB app could use a LOT of advice from Opera's mobile team. I have an overclocked GalaxyS2 running at 1.5ghz...modded to the gills. Nothing on this phone is slow...except Facebook. Every update makes the experience more and more miserable. Opera's mobile/mini browsers are among the fastest and smoothest apps I have ever used. By far. Bar none. On any mobile platform....or any platform ever, for that matter. On the other hand I've been using Opera for over 12 years now. It is my go-to browser and it is the first thing I install on a computer...regardless of OS. It has always been ahead of it's time...often by a very long time (we've been returning to the same multi-tabbed browsing session for how much longer than everyone else?). Anyone I recommend the browser to becomes a lifelong fan. Geeks and non-geeks alike. It's tiny, lightning quick, hyper-compliant and more configurable than anything else.
I know that having Facebook sized development money can be nothing but a great thing for the progress of the browser, but, I'm more concerned with the direction of this development. Also some very obvious concerns with the use of turbo-mode to help FB aggregate more of the world's information...
...I'm going to vote 'I really hope not' on this one.
Just please, no. Let this be a joke, please.
Way to go with the fact checking. Sure, Norwegians celebrate the end of the American Civil War. Just like the US Independence day and Thanksgiving. (We do have a day off for Pentecost, though.)
Enough with the speculative posts.
I haven't used Opera in a good long while*, and I've never heard of the mentioned source site Pocket-lint, but after the damning parting words of von Tetzchner, I wouldn't put it past Opera to allow let Facebook take them.
Nice knowin' ya, Oppy.
*Actually I did a few times a month or two ago for some SVG testing; otherwise I've barely touched it, and I'll be uninstalling it now just in case the probable turns out true.
You can hold down the "B" button for continuous firing.
There are better targets than a once-great browser. Opera is no longer, no matter what their home page says, the fastest browser in the business.
Twitter, for example. A Facebook takeover of the company will ensure render comatose any hopes G+ has of winning any marketshare.
Another is Yahoo. Too big? I'm pretty sure Yahoo's stockholders would agree to a stock swap that would leave hot-young CEO Zuckerberg in control. Facebook can use some of whatever remains of Yahoo's search technology.
This has been both in the news and debunked YESTERDAY.
So what is the 17th of may? I heard that was some Norwegian celebration. (Syttende Mai or something like that.) It was on the calendar at work. I live in Minnesota
Opera will become a browser app for fb
Companies that tend to get always bigger and bigger end up being unstable, don't they ?
I hope Facebook does not buy Opera.
If they're interested in buying Opera, I hope the courts prevents it.
Unless their intention is to open source it.
Hello, DearFuckingSpammer. Maybe someone should clean your PC with a baseball bat so you stop posting here?
iPhones come with Safari and few people ever install another browser. Android phones come with a stock browser and few people install another browser. Opera has little potential to help Facebook crack the smart phone marketing problem. Besides, now that Facebook is a public company, it can't spend its money willy-nilly like it used to and not have to worry about shareholder suits and financial oversight.
Or the spammer's PC itself needs cleaning w/ MyCleanPC
It's part of slashdots' new business model, you must of forgotten that slashdot is owned by Rupert Murdoch.
Damn. I've been using Opera for several years now. If it comes under the thumb of Facebook, I'll jump ship. I don't want those fuckers backdooring themselves into everything I do online.
Likewise. Opera has been my main browser for more than a decade, although my wife generally uses Firefox. Luckily, I've also been using Chromium, and consider it an acceptable replacement: not quite as good with privacy settings, but slightly more compatible with weird web sites. If Opera becomes part of Facebook, I'll drop it on principle (all Facebook IPs are already blocked by my router to inhibit unwanted tracking).
Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. - Voltaire
Once the giant facebook monster gobbles up my precious email, which provider do I then switch to. Any good alternatives out there?
~ Tutti all'Opera! ~ http://www.searchlores.org/tuttiope.htm
Hard to rationalize the continued use of opera the moment it becomes owned by facebook, and in my personal opinion it already begins to tarnish opera's name.
UNITY accounts could have their data swallowed up or reigned into facebook, personal info, whatever, another clusterfuck of bs. I'm sure that's not why people have unity accounts to be fed to a government database. Burp...
I actually like Opera!
My, the spammers have mod points as well.
Best to just reset the password on those accounts.
My God, it's Full of Source!
OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
If Instagram is worth $1B to Facebook, I figure Opera must be worth at least $10B.
Not opera! I actually USE THAT! Aaaahhhhhhh!!!!
Seriously, Opera is the one good mobile browser out there.... I even tried Dolphin HD!
Stay off, Facebook, don't Zuck my phone!
Flappinbooger isn't my real name
Don't worry ..., you can always just switch to Chrome!
In the nineties I went for freedom (... whatever) and now I am trapped between all my big brothers.
Source?
My stupid web site
Opera's been a decent browser for me to use on bad quality connections. If they start integrating all sorts of Facebook bullshit, that'll go away fast.
It is, & has been, TRULY the "Superior-Warrior" in the way of webbrowser programs + on MANY levels!
FOR SPEED OPERA ROCKS! (Especially over time):
B.) For SPEED & Opera leads again there, & CONSISTENTLY + for the LONGEST TIME, yes, even in javascript for the LONGEST time, until FF's new engines took its place, albeit, only TEMPORARILY!
(Until Opera 10.50 @ least, because that's gotten a decent "boost" in that area -> http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/12/22/1911216 (not that it matters though, speeding up javascript is like asking to get infected by malscripted sites &/or adbanners faster imo @ least - that of a "POV" of PC security, mostly)):
2.) SunSpider tests done here -> http://www.pcpro.co.uk/gallery/features/356350/on-test-the-hidden-seven-browsers-in-the-windows-ballot/145087 WHERE OPERA REGAINS ITS JAVASCRIPT PROCESSING SPEED LEAD OVER FF YET AGAIN!
OLDER DATA (on performance alone):
3.) And this one too last year also -> http://crave.cnet.co.uk/software/0,39029471,49302491,00.htm
4.) AND IT HAS BEEN "BLOWING AWAY" FIREFOX IN HTML PARSING/PROCESSING SPEEDS AS WELL, & FOR YEARS NOW, per this test years ago -> http://www.howtocreate.co.uk/browserSpeed.html#win
5.) Same here -> http://nontroppo.org/timer/kestrel_tests/
6.) Yet again/once more? Same story -> http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/08/08/1750241/Opera-Dominates-CNET-Survey-of-Underdog-Web-Browsers
(Opera "rocked the planet" in those cases... bigtime (& ESPECIALLY ON THE MOST USED PLATFORM THERE IS, BAR-NONE, FOR PC-COMPUTING: Windows!))
====
ALSO, FOR SECURITY? YES - OPERA ROCKS (as far as unpatched security vulnerabilities):
---
Vulnerability Report: Opera 11.x (05/26/2012):
http://secunia.com/advisories/product/33328/
Unpatched 10% (1 of 10 Secunia advisories)
* Mind you, that over time? From all versions UP TO this current one just released today?? THIS IS USUALLY ZERO% & ZERO UNPATCHED! The single 1 remaining is the "history bug" ALL other browsers had also, & the simple fix? DON'T KEEP BROWSING HISTORIES!
(What ticked me off, is that Opera 12's out there, but Secunia doesn't have stats for it yet...)
---
Vulnerability Report: Microsoft Internet Explorer 9.x (05/26/2012):
http://secunia.com/advisories/product/34591/
Unpatched 13% (1 of 8 Secunia advisories)
---
Vulnerability Report: Mozilla Firefox 12.x (05/26/2012):
http://secunia.com/advisories/product/40737/
Unpatched 0% (0 of 0 Secunia advisories)
---
Vulnerability Report: Google Chrome 19.x (05/26/2012):
http://secunia.com/advisories/product/40938/
Unpatched 0% (0 of 1 Secunia advisories)
---
A.) For SECURITY, OPERA ROCKS & HAS OVER TIME BIG TIME, usually @ ZERO unpatched security vulnerabilities AND zero unpatched sec. vulns counts period!
(& Opera leads there for the LONGEST TIME, yes, even in least security vulnerabilities found over time, typically of the "big 3" webbrowsers):
1.) iPhone, IE, Firefox, Safari get stomped at hacker contest -> (No Opera noted as "hosed" though, lol)
Uhm, right. Riiiight. Innocent poor Facebook is in for a nasty surprise :(
please, please, PLEEEEZZEE! this cannot happen. The only who will ruin Opera more than Facebook would Microsoft. NOOOOO!
Unite should become the Facebook killer! A decentralized community. With a optional caching proxy server that can be your own server, or a trustworthy third party... for when your box is offline.
Is how many stupid people own smart phones. I saw someone struggling in vain to get an app to open on a smart phone at a table adjacent to mine at a restaurant recently, and he said he couldn't open it. I looked over and noticed the thing was off. I said, over my shoulder, "it works better if you turn it on first."
Yes, the guy turned it off by accident, didn't realize it was off, and wondered why the app wouldn't launch. Sheer genius. To me, the first sign of a problem might have been the screen being dark and the buttons unresponsive, but I am tech-oriented.
BR? BR? Gibe moni plos. Huahuehuahue.
ANYTHING BUT THAT!!!
I use Opera! I don't want Facebook to put it's filthy paws on it!
...tell me there is a way to prevent the current version of Opera from even checking for an update.
I'd rather keep the current version going for as long as absolutely possible if FB gets their grubby hands on its future.
Browser and Add-on
https://safe-mail.net/
I learned about it from a /. AC some years ago and I like it. :)
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law
NOOOO! My internet browser hipster cred! I won't be able to tell people I use a browser they've probably never heard of!
Native phone apps were a wash and the future of apps on phones and tablets is no apps, it's html5+js from here out.
Opera has something IE, chrome and Safari do not: infrastructure dedicated to the browser. Plus, Opera rules phone. It'a actually a perfect fit since FB's phone app is so pathetic. Are they even trying there?
I've used Opera since the beginning and there's a couple of reasons why it is the fastest (if yours isn't yer doin' it wrong) and why it's the only one that handles forms correctly, but, it does BADLY need Google V8 js engine. Good luck there boys...
I can see ways where this is good for Opera: simply double the staff, leave it in Norway, and have half to FB stuff and half keep on doing Opera.
Need Mercedes parts ?
The instant this gets announced, I'm ditching Opera on my laptop and phones.....and instant uninstall. I use it as a backup browser but if becomes part of the Facebook empire, I'm out.
Last thing I need is Opera nagging me to login via FB.
Someone at FB management should call up Balmer and see if they can buy IE. I can just imagine the conversation:
Balmer: "Really, why would you want it?"
Zuckerbergish: "We need to pacify Wallstreet so it looks like we have a plan"
Balmer: "But you know Chrome now leads the market and has the momentum"
Zuckerbergish: "We need to pacify Wallstreet so it looks like we have a plan"
Balmer: "Ok, what number are we talking here?"
Zuckerbergish: "Well, let's not talk exact figure yet, let's just say we would be willing to do an all stock deal.......hello? Hello? Are you there? Hello? Steve? Hello?"
Whenever this thought occurs to me, I generally avoid acting on it. I don't think that Facebook should acquire stuff just because it has money.
Currently hooked on AMP
Facebook has attained a lot of bad karma which is now showing in its stock value. Opera would better stay away from the infection.
Or clean the spammer with one.
If Facebook buys Opera, Opera will be the first app to get dumped from my system.
Naw, Ill just sic MyDirtyOldMac on 'em
I've thought about it and thought about it. The only way that I will be able to stomach Facebook buying Opera is if they open source it. Otherwise, I'm done.