So far, not impressed
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Deleted User last edited by
I'm posting this from Mozilla because I can't make Opera do very basic things:
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How do I make DuckDuckgo my DEFAULT search engine? I've installed the addon, but Opera still doesn't give me the option to make it default, and still searches only through the one of the sponsored search engines. Is there a way to add a search bar like all the other web browsers?
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How do I import my bookmarks etc? Here are the useless instructions from Opera.com:
++++++++
You can import bookmarks (favorites), contacts, and email from other programs like Internet Explorer, Firefox, Outlook Express and older versions of Opera.
To import bookmarks:
Add or choose an active folder in the Opera panel (F4) where you want your imported bookmarks to display.
Select Settings > Import and export..
Select an import option from the list.
Browse to find the folder that contains the bookmarks.
Select OK to confirm.
+++++++++
Here's the problem: There is no "Import and export" option there. Are there clear directions somewhere, or is this even possible. -
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lem729 last edited by
I'm not sure about DuckDuckgo because that's an addon, so if there is an issue with making it a default, the problem may be with the addon itself. For the search engine that come with Opera, you just right click on the address bar, and then click edit search engine. That should let you then change your default. Now if the addon worked right, it would include DuckDuckgo in the list.
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Deleted User last edited by
That may be true. The addon is added onto the list, but in a separate category "Search engines added by extensions" and cannot be made default.
I'm noticing that there are a number of people not able to import stuff into Opera. Maybe needs some documentation work?
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A Former User last edited by admin
The instructions for importing bookmarks are for Opera 12.16 or earlier.
Instructions for Opera 20 etc.
https://forums.opera.com/topic/1817/bookmark-importer-under-more-tools-is-grayed-out
or try: https://forums.opera.com/post/29402
The default search engine can be changed in Settings, but not to DuckDuckGone.
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cuntsuella last edited by
I installed Opera to review as replacement for Firefox, and must confess my disappointment as described by bangorme.
Control over my choice of services in my Internet browser MUST be first and foremost in the developers mind. Anyone that can defend the inability to eliminate any search engine, would have to be an uninformed idiot. I am in the Network security and support trade and my primary concerns are security, privacy and complete control over those issues!If YOU continue to blindly utilize Google services, you are an uninformed and naive individual! I accept as reality, it is impossible to fully protect yourself from tracking and privacy violations, but to NOT attempt to minimize your exposure to these threats is insane. Since it is apparent I can not eliminate my exposure to Google and other tracking services within the Opera settings, I can not use OR endorse the Opera browser. I will promptly remove Opera from my system after I make this post and resume my search for a browser that respects "MY" right to privacy and security.
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A Former User last edited by
You can choose Yahoo, Bing, Wikipedia, or Amazon as your default search engine.
You can search with any custom search engine using keyword + search
You can remove the Google search bar from the Speed Dial.
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Deleted User last edited by admin
The instructions for importing bookmarks are for Opera 12.16 or earlier.
Instructions for Opera 20 etc.
https://forums.opera.com/topic/1817/bookmark-importer-under-more-tools-is-grayed-out
or try: https://forums.opera.com/post/29402
The default search engine can be changed in Settings, but not to DuckDuckGone.These are workarounds, not instructions. If bookmarks cannot be imported from Firefox into Opera (like is possible with MS Explorer and all the Mozilla products), then please just admit it lol. I'm not going to try to jerry-rig a modern web browser. As I said earlier, that's pre-2008 linux stuff.
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Deleted User last edited by
You can choose Yahoo, Bing, Wikipedia, or Amazon as your default search engine.
You can search with any custom search engine using keyword + search
You can remove the Google search bar from the Speed Dial.That's ridiculous. Does Google own Opera? This reminds me of when Microsoft embedded Internet Explorer into it. Why are these specific search engines built in so it's excessively unwieldy to use others?
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A Former User last edited by admin
Does Google own Opera?
Why do you say that? Have you missed the fact that you can choose Bing? That Yandex is default in Russia...? Etc...Why are these specific search engines built in so it's excessively unwieldy to use others?
https://forums.opera.com/post/33591And using others in the meanwhile is very easy, just type the keyword when starting the search.
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lem729 last edited by
Whoops, rafaelluik, If you go to the link just provided, you will see that the option to set a custom search engine as default was temporarily removed "to combat malware overriding user settings and directing all searches to malicious third-party sites. "
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A Former User last edited by
Whoops @lem729, you missed the option to set any of five different search engines as your default — not custom searches, but you do not have to use Google. You can use Wikipedia, Amazon, Yahoo, or Bing.
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lem729 last edited by
I didn't mean to be unclear here, pesala.. For the search engines that come with Opera, one can choose among the group, and set the default. That was the second comment in this thread (my comment).
The problem seems to be with custom searches. . All I was doing with my whoops, was underscoring that the link rafaelluik provided had a problem in it. And if one clicks on the link, one sees the problem.
In any event, there are certainly easy options to doing a search that isn't a google search. And as, Peasla, you noted earlier in this thread, one can remove the Google search bar entirely from the speed dial. Indeed, I've already done that.
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colderwinters last edited by
You cannot change your default search engine to anything you want like you can in just about any other browser including the abandoned old opera browser, you have to choose from that list of 3 or 4 choices or whatever that opera allows you to use. I cant remember how many they let you choose from because I uninstalled all forms of Opera from my computers. The only search engine I use is StartPage or Ixquick and I couldnt change to that.
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Deleted User last edited by
Ok, just to summarize where we are:
- You can't have any search engine that isn't provided by Opera (the five) as a default.
- There is no automated mechanism within Opera to import anything from other Browsers.
An no colderwinters, duckduckgo is the default search engine on my Firefox browser. If I type a word into the address it searches on duckduckgo.
Is that the long and short of it?
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lem729 last edited by
There's this Opera extension for duckduckgo
https://addons.opera.com/en/extensions/details/ultimatesearch/?display=en
And there are Chrome extensions, if you do a search on the Chrome Web Store for DuckDuckGo. As long as you download and install the Opera Extension DownloadChromeExtension, you can use Chrome extensions. These are a few that might work for you. In particular DuckDuckGo for Chrome (According to the summary of it: A toolbar button is also added that gives you easy access to our search box) (so, you click the button and do a DuckDuckGo search) (sounds plausible.
I've used quite successfully a number of Chrome extensions, by intstalling the Opera Extension DownloadChromeExtension.
Keep in mind that Opera has only recently adopted the Blink engine (and is slowly building up browser features) (Of course Rome wasn't built in a day
so everything that everyone wants isn't instantly there, but more may well be there in the future with each new update.Another idea. In the speed dial, put a DuckDuckGo search item. Perhaps, a link to this location:
https://duckduckgo.com/search_box
Or use the Chrome extension DuckDuckGo homepage. It gives you a link to the DuckDuckGo search
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/duckduckgo-home-page/ljkalbbbffedallekgkdheknngopfhif?hl=en-USAnyway, there are many ways -- they say -- to skin a cat. Well, hmmm, perhaps, I should have said to "skin a duck." lol.
I've tried to help. These are a few ideas.
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Deleted User last edited by
The best way to use duckduckgo, although it doesn't make it your default, is do download the extension duckduckgo for Opera. It doesn't really work as advertised, but it does put an icon on the top right hand corner of the top. Clicking it opens a search box for duckduckgo. That's something I could live with until it is fixed.
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lem729 last edited by admin
I missed duckduckgo for Opera.
Glad that might might help. I don't know if duckduckgo for Chrome (which I did mention) is the same thing. Or if it does more. You can always uninstall if you decide to check it out, though because it is a Chrome extension, you would first need to install the Opera Extension "DownloadChromeExtension" to get it to work. In any event, good luck.I did delete -- for myself -- the Google Search Bar from the speed dial. In case you want to get it out, it is not very hard to do it. A discussion of how to do it is here:
https://forums.opera.com/topic/1830/how-do-i-remove-the-intrusive-google-links-on-the-startup-page/4
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lem729 last edited by
bangorme,
I wanted to mention that if you do install that extension (from the Chrome Website) Disconnect Search, Duck Duck Go is one of the featured search engines :)))) And haven't we been talking about that in this thread.
They have Google, Bing, Yahoo, Blekko, AND last but not least, Duck Duck Go. Now the searchs from the toolbar they give you are much more private and protected than searches from the normal search bars, or from the Opera address. So you ought to try it. I'd say download the Disconnect extension from the Opera website, and Disconnect Search extension from the Chrome Store.
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Deleted User last edited by
Thanks. I've been playing with Opera for a couple days now, and am gradually liking it more and more. It's Linux-y in that it doesn't come out of the box the way I like it. But it also isn't cluttered up with stuff I never use. MS IE is downright ponderous, so I've had to shelve using that. I've grown to LOVE the "Speed Dial" feature. I use it as a mini-bookmark section for the bookmarks I use 99% of the time.
Now, the task for Opera is to keep the strengths (simplicity, uncluttered and uncomplicated interface, features), and deliver a user friendly product that doesn't require Linux geekiness to reach a functional starting point for most consumers... and better documentation lol.
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colderwinters last edited by
Thanks. I've been playing with Opera for a couple days now, and am gradually liking it more and more. It's Linux-y in that it doesn't come out of the box the way I like it. But it also isn't cluttered up with stuff I never use. MS IE is downright ponderous, so I've had to shelve using that. I've grown to LOVE the "Speed Dial" feature. I use it as a mini-bookmark section for the bookmarks I use 99% of the time.
Now, the task for Opera is to keep the strengths (simplicity, uncluttered and uncomplicated interface, features), and deliver a user friendly product that doesn't require Linux geekiness to reach a functional starting point for most consumers... and better documentation lol.It couldnt be further from Linux Geek Worthy, I've done linux many times, with the New Opera if you go into the windows registry, theres hardly anything there, absolutely nothing to tweak, If you expand the Opera install file using 7zip you'll find it's nothing more than a portable browser, you can actually run it from a USB Thumb drive, although it will stick stuff into your Users AppData folder if you use it that way regardless, you dont even need to install the New Opera to run it
