One installation/update affects the others

[A Former User]

A Former User last edited by leocg

Security Boundary Violation
Opera_Developer_69.0.3665.0_Setup_x64.exe

Opera has gone way too far in crossing security boundaries.
I just installed Opera_Developer_69.0.3665.0_Setup_x64.exe
on a separate user on my Windows 10 computer.
I installed in completely new directory.
Then I logged back into my primary user.
Imagine my horror to find that all my Opera instances have been altered!

1. My Start Page is changed:
   a. There is a weather object in the upper left corner.
   b. It says Olso Setup your city / Moon Graphic / 43 F
   c. Cannot remove this object.
   d. How dare you put a link to an unknown weather provider on my system.
   e. How dare you prevent removal.
   f. How dare you cross hard disk directory boundaries!
   g. How dare you cross User ID boundaries!
   h. This is completely invasive and unacceptable behaviour.

I keep multiple installations of Opera on my computer to test.
a. To test subtle but material changes in behaviour.
b. To test operation with different settings.
c. To resolve problems with troublesome websites.
d. Your last version 69 update has destroyed all these unique installs.
e. This invasive and destructive.
f. You have severely damaged my decades of trust in your product.
g. You are now to be considered a distributor of malware.

P.S. The word "behaviour" is flagged as a spelling error.

[leocg]

leocg Moderator Volunteer @Guest last edited by

@operacat First, do not use caps here. This time your post was fixed.

In settings page you can turn off the weather tool.

[leocg]

leocg Moderator Volunteer @Guest last edited by

@operacat How to you make those multiple installations? Do you login as a different Windows users for each one of them? Or you just make several portable/stand alone installations in different directories?

[A Former User]

A Former User @leocg last edited by

@leocg Thanks for the fast reply.

1. The settings in the install did not include the one for the weather tool. I only found this when I installed 3665 in my primary user login. Incidentally, the version number displayed is 69.0.3660.0

2. Installing Opera:
   Until Opera 69 the following worked fine in my PRIMary UserId.
   I have on this machine separate directories for each version.
   c:\x\y\OpD1 c:\x\y\OpD2 ... c:\x\y\OpD4 for developer versions.
   I rotated them with each new release as follows:
   Directory Version RelsDate InstDate
   c.ap\OPD4 69.0.3630.0 20200316 03/23/20
   c.ap\OPD3 68.0.3616.0 20200302 03/03/20
   c.ap\OPD2 68.0.3602.0 20200220 02/19/20
   c.ap\OPD1 68.0.3581.0 20200128 01/30/20
   Sorry, I can't get the fixed fonts to show here.
   My first install of 69.0.3630.0 Overwrote ALL of the other directories. I did report this as a problem.
   I did not make any portable installations.
   I did a separate standalone installation in each directory.
   Beginning with Version 69.0.3630 the install on Mar-23 all my Version 68 installs were overwritten.

In order to avoid this problem I logged into my EMERgency UserId. I created a New directory c.ap\OPD6 and installed
Opera_Developer_69.0.3665.0_Setup_x64.exe ONLY User EMER.
This install also overwrote the files in my PRIMary username.
Honestly, I don't understand how this boundary was crossed.

I don't remember when Opera installs started finding and overwriting every directory with the newest version. For more than a year I have prevented that by Renaming the Opera Update executable programs from Opera...exe to Opera..EXN.
This resulted in the message
"An error occurred while checking for updates"
when I did "Help About" -- this was my intention.

As a software developer myself from 1960 to 2001 I was very careful to keep proper version control, and to assure that all developers were using the latest version. But, when a version was rolled out to customers, we NEVER overwrote another version.
I only have one ancient machine where I can test new software without disrupting my day-to-day use.

I am still running Beta Version 64.0.3417.19 because anything newer does not work with my Spectrum telephone voice mail.
Spectrum has been systematically changing its rules to prohibit use of any other browser except their chosen few. This is not likely an Opera problem, but Spectrum just doesn't listen.

I also run Stable Version 60.0.3255.170 to avoid other Opera features that disrupt my experience.

Mahalo nui loa (Thank you very much) for your assistance.
If I have left anything unclear, please let me know.
The last thing I want to do is abandon Opera for Firefox.

I have abandoned Opera for Brave to get my Spectrum Voicemail.
I have no doubt that Spectrum will soon break that too.

Regards from Honokowai, Hawai'i
Jeffrey at http;//MauiCat.com/

[leocg]

leocg Moderator Volunteer @Guest last edited by

@operacat 1) If it shows version 3660, then most probably you are still using that version.

[leocg]

leocg Moderator Volunteer @Guest last edited by

@operacat Just to clarify : For each of those installations, you go to the installer options, changed the installation path and set the install mode to stand alone?