in 1997, i switched from netscape to opera 2 because of its advanced features like saved sessions and mdi page management. it's unbelievable that over 15 years later, i'm considering switching to firefox because opera now lacks even basic browser features that i take for granted.
what i love most about opera is that i can make it my browser, customizing it to meet my needs and preferences, rather than being stuck with a set layout and design. on my laptop, it's incredibly minimalistic, with even the tab bar turned off completely (i use ctrl+tab to switch between pages), while on my desktop, i fully utilize all of opera's toolbars and panels, with powerful features like the filterable windows panel enhancing my ability to manage multiple tabs. i particularly value opera's unique mdi features and the power and flexibility they bring to browsing.
all of this is gone in opera 15. absolutely everything i liked about the browser has been removed, and i can no longer see any reason to use it.
with firefox extensions for tiling tabs, better tab management, a sidebar, session management, etc., firefox actually offers a more opera 12-like experience than opera 15 does. but even with all of that, firefox is still a downgrade from the classic opera browser that's now being abandoned. it's a real shame to see that happen.
it has been a nice run, but if i ever want a chrome-like browser, i will use chrome... not opera without a side panel and key features.
oh well, it was good to know.
i have so long advocated opera for all the features that are now gone. goodbye opera, rip.
by... by...
you too, brutus?
opera, you've lost the plot. you've turned into what i feared most: a cheap copy of chromium. gone is everything--and i mean everything--that made opera...well, opera. the current opera next build is not even a shadow of what opera once was. it's just chromium with a big silver o painted on it and bookmarks stripped out. sad indeed.
you had a great browser and it seems that you are about to ruin it.
it's really a shame you decided to throw uniqueness out the window to make your product easier to market for idiots.