Now what? I do not like Firefox. I hate google. I have played with couple of browsers lately - no one is faster than old Opera, no one is handy. Maybe I should switch to IE again? Not that customizable, but somehow not that bad either. I know I know, this all is very subjective. Well, for me this subjectivity matters very much

I'm trying to get used to new Opera. I can't say anything bad about compatibility (except IDcard support - for this I need IE or Chromium), I like extensions world - but it doesn't feel that snappy and handy as older Operas. Sure I miss some options, currently not solvable even using extensions. And it looks foreign on my old'n'good unsupported XP

What I really wanted to say...
leushino, stop your senseless praising of new Opera and calling old Opera users names. With such postings you make more bad than good for Opera community.

What on earth is the true Opera? Opera is Opera is Opera.

Naaaaah.
The true Opera came first - so by ANY counts it's been rightfully holding its name.
Then it was ceased - actually - and replaced by ANOTHER browser.
The only three things that connect them (ok, four):

• the name,
• the letter "O" wherever it is,
• adopting bookmarks IF the existing browser's set as "default",

well, and the corporation - however having shuffled its staff, judicially the same.
:rolleyes:

Those were THE ONLY few things in common.
EVERYTHING else is TOTALLY different (ah, well, the window's shape is rectangular, right).

The question stays - why was another browser given the name "Opera"?

You're somehow right, Leu, in that if you do not use Opera, then...
Still we all at least HAVE BEEN Opera users. In THIS life. This is an official Opera site, right?
So, on the other hand, Leushino, people are entitled to come and speak. Yes, about their disappointment. Yes, about their beloved browser Opera going of no more use to them (the true Opera's ceased to get maintained, right?)...
They HAVE used Opera -- they know what they're talking about. So... :rolleyes:

Yes, the perfectly workable solution for now is: another browser. I am using it.

Fine. Then why are you hanging about here... just trolling? This is the problem with so many of the so-called Opera fans. They're essentially cry babies. They like to think of themselves as power users but in reality... they're a collection of whiners and cry babies always threatening to abandon Opera "IF" it does not do exactly what they tell it to do. :lol: Well, here's a news-flash for you. Opera is growing. It's numbers are up and its financial situation is better than ever. New users are filling the ranks as some of the old Presto whiners are threatening to abandon it (ha! they've been threatening to do so now for nearly a year and a half but still.. many of them are here whining day after day). Opera has nothing to worry about in terms of a handful like you who claim to have found another browser but are still hanging about. :whistle:

Who are "we"? Are you officially speaking for opera here? If trolls like you are working for opera then I can stop wondering why opera is going downhill.

Opera is "not going downhill" so stop trolling and stick with the topic at hand: search engines. Opera has provided a perfectly workable solution. Use it.

Yes, the perfectly workable solution for now is: another browser. I am using it.

Who are "we"? Are you officially speaking for opera here? If trolls like you are working for opera then I can stop wondering why opera is going downhill.

Opera is "not going downhill" so stop trolling and stick with the topic at hand: search engines. Opera has provided a perfectly workable solution. Use it.

To do so, just edit the SQLite database called "Web Data" in your profile (– after making sure Opera is not running, after backing it up, blabla…). Therein you find a table called ´keywords´ – that's the table you want to work with. The columns in that table are pretty self-explaining.

If you are looking for a suitable SQLite db editor – free, for Windows – you may find hints here: https://vivaldi.net/blogs/entry/a-fine-sqlite-editor-for-opera-15-opium

What a tempest in a teapot. It's simply another tactic to accuse Opera of not catering to the whining squad. We've provided workarounds. If they don't float your boat, too bad.

Who are "we"? Are you officially speaking for opera here? If trolls like you are working for opera then I can stop wondering why opera is going downhill.

...you need an extention to browse the Internet.

Opera is a fast and free alternative browser, made to discover.
(official statement at opera.com)

What keeps your system safe&clean from virus/malware?

Antivirus or anti-virus software (often abbreviated as AV), sometimes known as anti-malware software, is computer software used to prevent, detect and remove malicious software.
(via Wikipedia)

In what case a user's browser settings like default search engine would be hijacked?

1. You ignored or your browser / OS / antivirus software failed to notify you about a unsafe download.

2. Your antivirus software fails to warn you when a unsafe executable be launched and fails to protect your system from it.

When the antivirus software fails to protect the system, which means in that case your system would contain some malware or virus, would you really trust a browser to protect you when your system is insecure?

So you mean a browser shouldn't consider security at all?

Of course NOT. A browser could (and should) keep user safe when surfing the internet, which includes (but not limited to)

1. Suspend connection and notify user about bad certificate, to secure SSL connections
   (but still, provide user a way to access it)

2. Warn user about a known unsafe site that may contain malware
   (but still, allow user to access it anyway and prevent danger scripts to harm user's system, that's why we have sandbox in Chromium)

3. Warn user about a unsafe download, for example when it's a known malware
   (but still, if user decide to run it anyways, it's antivirus software's job to prevent system from being damaged)

And what about locking the default search engine?

When your system is insecure, locking the default search engine means nothing.

Locking the default search engine means NOTHING

(I said it twice since it's important)

The attacker could, for example, change your DNS server to attacker's without you even know it. In that case, when you're trying to access a site (let's say Google.com) it could be resolved to attacker's site. It's not hard for the attacker to add his own certificate as trusted, so in this case https can't protect you. Your connection would be still be encrypted, but not to Google's server, to attacker's server.

Is it necessary to have some protection on search engine?

Absolutely yes. But NOT like what Opera does.

Let's take a look at what Google Chrome does about search engines:

1. There are build-in search engines. But you can edit them, remove them (all) as you wish.

2. You can add your own custom search engine, and set it as default.

So how does Google Chrome prevent unwanted change to search engine?

1. A extension could add a search engine, but may not override the default settings without user knowing it.

2. A extension couldn't be installed without user knowing it.

3. A extension doesn't come from Chrome Web Store will be disabled at every startup of browser (on stable/beta channels only)

In short: Google Chrome prevents search engine settings being changed without user knowing it while using the browser.

In conclusion, a browser, should offer user a safe Internet experience, but should never try to protect user's system outside the browser - We have antivirus softwares to do that.

But... but they said it's about safety

They might be trying to do so, but it's a completely pointless, meaningless move.

Google. Use .com instead of the local version...
Wikipedia. Same here, use en.wikipedia.org instead of the local version.

:yes:, but I'm guessing if it's actually up to Google - to трахtrack or not to трах us. X(

Google. Use .com instead of the local version, HTTPS and encrypted.google.com for additional privacy. Append &nfpr=1 to turn off auto-correction that keeps second-guessing me ("Showing results for ...", "Did you mean ...").

Wikipedia. Same here, use en.wikipedia.org instead of the local version.

Yahoo. Reassign the "y" keyword to YouTube. I have been using this for years with the old Opera. Tried to get used to "yt" but still unintentionally end up at Yahoo several times a day.

This is not simply about typing a second or different letter, but being forced to unnecessary, tedious, and error-prone relearning. As if someone had decided that swapping Ctrl+T and Ctrl+W was a good idea.