Experimental Speed Dial and Stash
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lem729 last edited by
When I opened Opera, I got a message, "Try the new Speed Dial." I did click yes . Now, I prefer the way it was set up before for a number of reasons: (1) I loved the thumbnail of the page you got with the old speed dial for each landmark in the Speed Dial folder. With the experimental Speed Dial, you get an icon, sometimes ugly, sometimes repetitive, and you can't remember why you may have put in the speed dial two or three items from different pages of the same website (because all you see are two or three repetitive icons for the website), whereas from the thumbnail of the webpage that you had with the old Speed Dial you often could; (2) the thumbnail of the web page was aesthetically far more pleasing (at least for me) than the bare bones icon that you get with the new Speed Dial; (3) Also, previously you could see the name of the title of the group. Now you have to hover to the group with your cursor, to see the title. When you have a lot of groups, that's a real nuisance. You have to hover all over the place with the cursor. Especial if it's confusing where the group is on your Speed Dial.
I also preferred the way Stash was set up. I don't want it as "unsorted bookmarks," as that was not what I was exclusively using it for, and it was easier to scroll down and find things the way it was. Also, the huge boxes for the unsorted bookmarks, take up a lot more space, and are more overwhelming, than the minimal space Stash took up (I'm referring to a comparison of what you see when you click on Unsorted Bookmarks, versus what you saw previously when you clicked on Stash). Therefore for me, at first blush, the changes are a step backward. I was more than happy with the bookmark ability I got with the extension Add Bookmark, and the Chrome Extension, Chrookmarks for Chrome. So to the extent the ability in the native browser to make bookmarks is improved, I don't need these changes.
As to bookmarks, when you click on Ctrl Shift B to see your bookmarks, it takes up huge amounts of space -- gigantic squares -- that are for me, ugly. A more minimalist display would be my preference.
I went to Opera Flags and was able to restore the Speed Dial to as it appeared before. Voila! A "big difference" for me. The default was set on this experimental dial (or at least, when the popup asked me to try the new Dial, and I clicked yes, it created that as the default). In my view the experimental dial is bad. And I think most people will click yes, to try the new Dial, and then won't know how to undo it. There should be something in the browser, not in Opera flags, that let you go back to what was. I didn't see that feature there.
Now on Stash, I thought (from the Developer version of Opera 25 I'd have a choice to keep it. When you click on bookmarks, all you get for what was Stash is "unsorted bookmarks" and the squares are huge, take up so much space, though, that the whole Unsorted Bookmarks area is disorienting. You either have to bookmark (these unsorted bookmarks items) or delete them. Leaving them there is a mess. I was never using Stash just as "unsorted bookmarks." I used it for other things also, such as items to read in the future. Something to save that I could find quickly that wasn't worth a bookmark, etc. Also, previously as set up, Stash was inconspicuous in terms of the space it took up. It was more aesthetically pleasing the way it was. I preferred it as something totally separate from Bookmarks. Now that's gone, and I believe it's a negative. I went back to Opera Flags, but can't find a setting for restoring Stash, as it was.
In sum, I've seemingly lost Stash (which I preferred, to the new Unsorted Bookmarks, which takes away a useful feature and turns it into a nothing), and I'm worried that even though I was able to restore my speed dial in this version through Opera flags, in the future I could get stuck with that discombobulating (for me) experimental Speed Dial. If so, I will not be singing it's praises -- unless somehow, because one never knows, I change my initial reaction, and like it. At first blush, if I were in a Roman arena, I'd go thumbs down to the experimental Speed Dial, and thumbs down to changing Stash to this new disorienting Unsorted Bookmarks
And the Speed Dial as it was, and Stash, have been important reasons for me on why I like Opera Blink.Now perhaps people have other views. That was my initial reaction.
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suntana last edited by
Yikes! This does not sound good at all. You've always been a strong supporter of the look and functionality of the Speed Dial, Bookmarks and the Stash in NEW Opera. Your current assessment of Opera 25 sounds like launched a big ole Air Ball ... missed the Dartboard entirely.
It'll be until tomorrow when I might be able to download it on my sister's High Speed Internet. With the Font / Bold problems I've read about and now THIS ... I have a feeling it's going to be a waste of my time and I'll have to revert back to Opera 24.0.1558.64. But, I probably have to do it anyway if anything to give my opinion so that if there ARE problems that need to be fixed, the more people speak up, the better chance they will be fixed.
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suntana last edited by
Grrrrr! I don't seem to be able to edit my comment.
Anyway ... hey, Lem, just in case it came out wrong, I was referring to Opera 25 having launched a big ole Air Ball ... missed the Dartboard entire. I didn't mean for it to sound like your assessment launched the big ole Air Ball and missed the Dartboard entirely. -
leocg Moderator Volunteer last edited by
I went to Opera Flags and was able to restore the Speed Dial to as it appeared before.
You could just have clicked on "Go back to the old start page" on the right bottom of the new start page/speed dial.
Now on Stash, I thought (from the Developer version of Opera 25 I'd have a choice to keep it. When you click on bookmarks, all you get for what was Stash is "unsorted bookmarks" and the squares are huge, take up so much space, though, that the whole Unsorted Bookmarks area is disorienting. You either have to bookmark (these unsorted bookmarks items) or delete them. Leaving them there is a mess. I was never using Stash just as "unsorted bookmarks." I used it for other things also, such as items to read in the future. Something to save that I could find quickly that wasn't worth a bookmark, etc.
I think you can use unsorted bookmarks in the same way as in Stash. I don't see much difference.
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Deleted User last edited by
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I think you can use unsorted bookmarks in the same way as in Stash. I don't see much difference.
That's how it seems to me as well. I have to admit to loving the new speed dial and the bookmarks. This browser is really rocking my world.
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lem729 last edited by
I'm happy with being able to revert on the Speed Dial, but worry that the Experimental Speed Dial will become the permanent feature, and the old one gone. I prefer having: (1) thumbnails for the landmarks, not icons (they're more functional, and you can put in a folder several pages from the same folder, and distinguish what they are from the thumbnail (you can't from the icon); (2) the folders need a title that you can see (scrolling with the cursor over the folders is too laborious); (3) the thumbnails look better
Thank you @leocg, I didn't see that you can go back without going to Opera flags. That's the way it should be.
I think I've overreacted on Stash :))) I didn't see that you can have different views. The non-square view is good. I confess error.
Still I feel better that regarding Stash, leocg, what you said is right, I can use it the same way (with horizontal -- not squares view). I think the name "Stash," is nicer than "Unsorted bookmarks" which suggests you're being lazy. And why not treat this as a special feature, not lump it into bookmarks. The major distinguishing features of Opera Blink from Chrome were the Speed Dial, Discover AND Stash. Now even though Stash is essentially still there, by semantics, they've undermined it as a selling point. If I were marketing for them, I would have kept is as "Stash," and entirely separate from Bookmarks (the way it was). By turning it into Unsorted Bookmarks, they've used verbiage to make it a "nothing." Although that's semantics, and from the perspective of functionality, a nit, it felt like something special, when it was called Stash and was a feature separate from Bookmarks. by calling it Stash, they were suggesting uses other than the laziness of not filing the bookmark. I think from the perspective of marketing and aesthetics, with the separate button for Stash, and calling it Stash, they had something useful, and threw it away.
So for me everything is fine, as I still like Opera, except I don't want the Experimental Speed Dial to knock out the one they had before. I feel less secure, because they're suggesting a possible change to what I like, even though they're calling it "experimental."
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joegd21 last edited by
IMO, the new Speed Dial looks great, even better than the previous one. It only needs an option to choose between icons or thumbnails.
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lem729 last edited by
That would help. It also needs titles for each folder (that appear in a way that's not aesthetically displeasing). Opera had succeeded there in the old speed dial. Titles can be ugly if not done right, or they can be swallowed up by the background wallpaper. Now with the regular Speed Dial (not the experimental), the color of the title changes automatically based on the wallpaper. That way, you can always read the title. If the title is white, and the wallpaper is changed to white, then the title becomes dark. If the wallpaper is dark, the title becomes white. That was a fine touch by Opera. But without titles (and I don't mean, you can see the title if you put the cursor over the folder) (that's a pain hunting for them like that, if you have a lot of folders). Without the titles in plain view, you can be disoriented or lost trying to find the folder you want. I don't want to open the Speed Dial, and have to struggle with where I'm going.
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joegd21 last edited by
Indeed. I hope those details can be polished before the new Speed Dial becomes mandatory...
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lem729 last edited by
Also, I think all the splashy colors of the icons ruin the wallpaper. I've taken a closer look.
With the thumbnails, a lot of the color for the landmarks in the folder are neutral white, with some colors (the shades of which are generally not too bright). It goes well against the wallpaper. Too my eye, it's pleasing. And I take delight in finding good wallpaper for the Speed Dial. The icons are a huge blotch of bright color -- garish reds, greens, purples taking up huge amounts of space ... For example if I just have one item for a Speed Dial Position, ESPN, for example, it's a huge square of bright candy cane red. It looks awful, and it's taking up almost 4 square inches. All of the work to create beautiful wallpaper (and Opera gives us that with the themes) is, in my view, badly undermined by the splash/splotch of garish icon color, about which you can have little control over. If I had to use the icons like this for speed dial positions, I may as well give up trying to decorate with beautiful wallpaper. The wallpaper themes are made chopped liver :))) I would be quite disturbed if I were stuck with this experimental Speed Dial. I would have to look at alternative browser options. Yes, joegd21, I hope this stuff is worked out.
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Deleted User last edited by
Yes, we heard your whining in another thread, misteromar. You're spamming the forum and that is against the TOS. I believe you're trolling.
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leocg Moderator Volunteer last edited by
I'm happy with being able to revert on the Speed Dial, but worry that the Experimental Speed Dial will become the permanent feature, and the old one gone.
Based on some discussions and comments on the Desktop Team blog, i don't think it will happen in a near future. It seems to me that many things need to be discussed, changed and/or improved.
Still I feel better that regarding Stash, leocg, what you said is right, I can use it the same way (with horizontal -- not squares view).
Well, i was thinking of it more in a "way of use" perspective and not from a view's one.
I think the name "Stash," is nicer than "Unsorted bookmarks"
Yep, i think Stash is a nicer (?) name.
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