It's really about convenience. I've enjoyed Opera from the very beginning and lament the loss of customization in the new versions. The bookmark bar is ok, but there is no convenient way to turn it on/off when you want the screen real estate. (Going to the settings menu is NOT convenient.) On my Presto bm bar, I have it set for text only and abbreviate the titles so I can fit most on the line. Even as it overruns, the older environment conveniently provided a dropdown for those bookmarks that wouldn't fit. The new environment forces a useless icon to hog space on every bookmark and there seems to be no dropdown when the bar fills.
It is the little things like this which made the Opera environment so useful, and I hope that the developers can appreciate this element of what has been lost.

+1. That's precisely how I've long used the Presto Opera bookmark bar: no icons and custom text only, with most of my text titles abbreviated to just 1 or 2 characters. With that arrangement, I can instantly access any of currently 73 critical bookmarks (or bookmark sub-folders) by title and bar position without even having to use the dropdown. Many of the sites are 'technical' sub-sites bearing the same icons (9 with the same icons, in one case), so even if the icons were tiny (which they're not), there would be no way of telling them apart without having to mouse over them and carefully hunt for the right one by URL.

Even though I realize many users never go to such customizing lengths since they don't use a browser as a tool but instead more as a browsing appliance, I'm still rather surprised at the reaction from the various Opera devs last summer, who apparently had no realization that some users had so wedded their browsing techniques to many of Opera's unique features. Whether that realization had any effect in returning at least some kind of bookmarks bar to Opera, I don't know. But I do know that if a capability of nicknaming the bookmarks on that bar using custom text instead of icons were added, along with a dropdown/scrolling ability for out-of-sight bar bookmarks, the bar would again become considerably more useful to some of us. Many times the simplest, seemingly minor things can make a great difference in the usability of a tool.

This is one of about 5 such things keeping me using Firefox as my primary browser instead of New Opera these days.

It is the little things like this which made the Opera environment so useful, and I hope that the developers can appreciate this element of what has been lost.

that's a good argument for a bookmarks menu item (in addition to the personal bookmarks bar) to be part of the browser, not an extension. I'm using the Tidy Bookmarks extension. I would definitely be upset if a browser update ate all bookmarks not in the personal toolbar. I haven't seen it happen yet, but you have me concerned.

If you sync your Opera, the bookmarks, I think, are saved to the cloud. So hopefully, you don't have to start over completely. It's hard to believe there will be an Opera update, and no bookmark extensions work with it. At least let's hope.

Imagine how many users they lost by pulling this stunt. I still haven't got Opera back on my PC, why bother until its finished

If you haven't even installed Opera on your computer, you really don't know what you're talking about, do you. One might equally ask: why are you even here? Since you now claim to be using a browser different from Opera, why not go over to THEIR forum and share your wisdom? :-p

Pesala, am i supposed to take this answer as a smart one? bookmarks from bookmarks bar is NOT the same at all
And who told u i want to have opened an extra tab just to switch to it when i want to go to another link? and who told u that i want my bookmarks in dial?
I really hate such answers, i didn't ask for substitutes, i asked for bookmarks the way every browser has it, not for alchemy. U may go and do tricks for your bookmarks if u want.

I wouldn't bother, he is like that with anyone who criticises the O

Bookmarks is an essential function of ANY internet browser, so without bookmarks, funtionatlity goes to hell !!
As i say in the title, NO other browser has ever abandon users leavin them WITHOUT bookmarks no matter how many times they updated or redesign their product......bookmarks were ALWAYS there !!!!
IE - Chrome - Safari - Firefox - Avant - pale moonlight - lunascape
If opera is a good browser, yes it was and is as it concerns the way it works and behaves.......but no bookmarks for over a year now????? I think this is not only dissapointing, but speaks a lot about what those devs take seriously or not... they surely don't respect users, no matter how many have complained about this, and i have seen MANY of them who have every right to be furious about it..
A good name can easily turn to bad when u remove usefull features......Opera has just began to fall, cause not havin such feature the way u r supposed to, it's not just a detail.....it's essential ! Patience has limits, and those people there just crossed the line.

Imagine how many users they lost by pulling this stunt. I still haven't got Opera back on my PC, why bother until its finished

Thanks, blackbird 71, on the ability to edit after you post -- even if the window is short. In terms of the forum, it would be nice to be able to follow a discussion, by receiving a note that someone has commented on what you are following. That's what we had before, but I can't see anything to suggest it's still there. Otherwise, it's hard to keep track after you post, of whether someone has commented on an item you were interested in.
Thank you on the extension thought for bookmarks, Pesala. I downloaded Tidy Bookmarks, and I think it might fit the bill. I'm still hoping for a context menu that lets me by right clicking on a web page, send an email link, or page. The extensions available are still very limited. At some point it might be good to have a forum group for just discussion extensions -- thought we need to wait, perhaps, till we have more of them.

Thanks on the ability to edit after you post -- even if the window is short. In terms of the forum, be nice to be able to follow a discussion, by receiving a note that someone has commented on what you are following. That's what we had before, but I can't see anything to suggest it's still there. Otherwise, it's hard to keep track after you post, of whether someone has commented on an item you were interested in.
Thank you on the extension thought for bookmarks, Pesala. I downloaded Tidy Bookmarks, and I think it might fit the bill. I'm still hoping for a context menu that lets me by right clicking on a web page, send an email link, or page. The extensions available are still very limited. At some point it might be good to have a forum group for just discussion extensions -- thought we need to wait, perhaps, till we have more of them.

Thank you on the extension thought for bookmarks, Pesala. I downloaded Tidy Bookmarks, and I think it might fit the bill. I'm still hoping for a context menu that lets me by right clicking on a web page, send an email link, or page. The extensions available are still very limited. At some point it might be good to have a forum group for just discussion extensions -- thought we need to wait, perhaps, till we have more of them.

... The falling off of Opera is even evidenced by the Forum, where you used to have ... the ability to edit stuff after it was posted, etc.

You can still edit your posts for a half hour after they're initially posted. Out at the right of your new post's grey header bar that contains your avatar, name and date, there will be a 'gear' symbol just to the left of the dark grey quotation mark... click on that to bring up a small, black rectangular edit/timer box beneath the gear, then click in that black box and your post's text should appear in the edit/comment box beneath the post. (NOTE: sometimes, you may have to refresh the page after initially posting or after posting an edited post to make that edit/timer box appear when clicking on the 'gear'... at least, I do when using Firefox). After the initial half hour expires, the 'gear' symbol will go away, leaving only the quotation mark, and the post will thereafter be unable to be edited.

To post the edited post, click on the grey "Save Comment" box at the lower right of the edit/comment box containing your text.

The thing I really, really, really want to see in the new forums is a "WYSIWYG preview" option, so that I don't have to do so much editing. A 'signature' feature would also be nice too.

OS: Win 7-64 SP1 -- Web Browsers: Opera 12.14u, 11.52; Firefox 27; Qupzilla 1.4.2; IE8

It's all about priorities: People want a Linux version, which will, of course, also be missing the features they really want like mail or notes.

http://blogs.opera.com/desktop/2014/02/opera-21-today/#comment-1256495634

Extensions can give you a bookmark menu if you really need it.

What I can't figure out is why Opera is soooooo slow in giving ADEQUATE treatment to bookmarks. Now that is my opinion, because this subject is getting very frustrating. Now mind you, I"m an Opera fan from way back. And I bought my version of Opera, when it was for sale. I preferred to the free versions. So far, Opera 20 has taken many steps backwards, in order to change/update the browser engine. I would think they should have just kept it as a beta, unitl it contained essential features. We can debate whether it does or it doesn't. It is a question of personal taste. But an awful lot of users are frustrated that Opera 20 still lacks basic stuff -- like how about the ability to right click on a web page, and have a context menu come up, that lets you call up the Compose Panel of your default email program, and let you send the link to that page (or the page), or an option for both (as Internet Explorer does).

The falling off of Opera is even evidenced by the Forum, where you used to have emotes, the ability to edit stuff after it was posted, etc.

Sigh...! @spyros78, your original post mentioned "bookmarks" and only "bookmarks", repeatedly - not "bookmark manager" and not "bookmarks toolbar." In that post, you did not specify where those "missing" bookmarks you complained about should appear, nor whether/how they should be managed. While you may hate the answer you got, @pesala's response precisely applied to the terminology you used in that first post and informed you that "bookmarks" did in fact exist, and where they can be displayed.
If the response you received was not to your satisfaction, perhaps you'd be better served to word your posts better or more accurately with less exaggeration. On the other hand, if you only wanted to ventilate your frustration by stirring up the usual hate and discontent among forum readers, and attacking anyone who challenged you, then you've probably achieved that. Enjoy your success.

English is not the first language for many so things often get lost in translation. However, it seemed clear to me what spyros issue is and if some were not being so defensive they might have seen it too and engaged in a better discussion rather than a semantic one

Why the hell can you say this???

It is not different from Firefox, Chrome ore all other browsers.

If the response you received was not to your satisfaction, perhaps you'd be better served to word your posts better or more accurately with less exaggeration. On the other hand, if you only wanted to ventilate your frustration by stirring up the usual hate and discontent among forum readers, and attacking anyone who challenged you, then you've probably achieved that. Enjoy your success.

Sorry, it spyros78 I meant to reply to. He was shouting and making false claims about Opera not having bookmarks.

This forum sucks due to lack of proper formatting, quoting, etc., as you said.

@spyros78

Your opinions are worthless if you cannot express them without shouting and lies. If you want the old style bookmarks, just use the old Opera. That's what I am doing. Leushino is a fanboy of Opera 19, but I agree with you guys that its not ready for use yet. What I don't agree with is your way of expressing your opinions.

What rights do you have, actually? How much did you pay for this browser? How many hours of your time did you give to beta testing or helping users on the previous My Opera forums?

@alreadybanned
Your rant claiming that Opera was without bookmarks is a lie. If you make such false claims, don't expect it to be overlooked. Yes, we know what you want — a menu, import/export, and a manager — but it doesn't excuse SHOUTING and ranting. You have not been left without bookmarks and you do not have to open a new tab to access them on the Bookmarks Bar. You have no excuse to be furious about anything. Just use Opera 12 if you cannot manage without your favourite features.
I almost never used the menu in Opera 11 or 12 (except for some very frequently used local files that I know the Access keys for by heart). I did use the panels to find older bookmarks, but for the commonly used ones I use the Bookmarks Bar. It is adequate for now in Opera 19. Proper bookmarks are not a priority as there are many other features that users need first.
http://blogs.opera.com/desktop/2014/02/opera-21-today/#comment-1256495634

what? where did I say Opera doesn't have bookmarks? I made the factual points clear enough for most
so this is for you:
Bookmarks bar - yes
Stash/Speed dial- yes
Boomarks menu - nope
Bookmarks manager - nope

I'm talking about my experience with browsers and you, you try making things personal. So really, who's the one ranting? It's not my fault if the truth is too loud for you but THIS IS SHOUTING and that's not what I did. Your tears are salty

according to Opera's own polls, most Opera users did not use bookmarks on a regular basis. You're either going to have to adapt your way of bookmarking, continue with the older version of Opera or find another browser.

hahahaha, yeah, that's what "they" said.

I like many long time Opera users find that laughable. Browser usage stats seem to reflect that as well because there has been a decline in Opera users after the initial curiosity of the first webkit release. The overwhelming response from most, you guessed it, lack of bookmarks.

I see sycophants are towing the company line now, lets see how far that pompous attitude gets you if users are told to look elsewhere. smh

sources
http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_stats.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_share_of_web_browsers

Go home and suicide better, the rest of us come here to report our complains which is what forums are for, if we had no problems, we would not be here,nor we have mood to come here every few days and waste time to those who don't listen as it seems, but since we have problems , we come here to speak about them, if u like the new shitty ways of opera, it's your choice, it won't be our choice too just because u want to defend those failure devs who play with our nerves

We want the common way that universaly users use bookmarks and no gay style tricks or dials or stashes or login in opera link to gain access to a mess, if people use bookmarks often or rare, is not same for all, it differs for every user, but frequency is not your concern neither those devs concern..it's OUR concern how and when we will use bookmarks

Take your disgusting fake suggestions out OFF my topic u two, i have written this topic for the devs to see and for those who need classic bookmarks back like we have them in every other browser, if we will continue to use opera or not, is up to us, we don't need your useless advice, weasels like you make me sick.

Your rant claiming that Opera was without bookmarks is a lie. If you make such false claims, don't expect it to be overlooked. Yes, we know what you want — a menu, import/export, and a manager — but it doesn't excuse SHOUTING and ranting. You have not been left without bookmarks and you do not have to open a new tab to access them on the Bookmarks Bar. You have no excuse to be furious about anything. Just use Opera 12 if you cannot manage without your favourite features.

I almost never used the menu in Opera 11 or 12 (except for some very frequently used local files that I know the Access keys for by heart). I did use the panels to find older bookmarks, but for the commonly used ones I use the Bookmarks Bar. It is adequate for now in Opera 19. Proper bookmarks are not a priority as there are many other features that users need first.

http://blogs.opera.com/desktop/2014/02/opera-21-today/#comment-1256495634