... perhaps someone here can tell us why this thread is useful in a help forum other than to state the obvious (i.e. such and such a version of Opera Presto was useful to me because...". ...

FWIW, the OP originally asked: " im sticking with 12.16 for the time being. With so many older versions - i am wondering if there is a version which works better (ignoring the security holes with the older ones)??." Accepting that at face value, I take it as a request for "help" in analyzing a possible Presto alternative to 12.16, either higher or lower in version. Obviously, many subsequent posts in the thread derailed into the all-too-usual Presto/Blink bickering. But on the assumption that there are legitimate needs (eg: hardware-driven) for some users to remain with Presto Opera, it seems to me that the topic and original question aren't out of line in an Opera helps forum... such users may well need to hear an airing on the pros and cons of various Presto versions versus each other. Such threads were commonplace in MyOpera forums, but alas, those are essentially inaccessible for most users now... which currently leaves - here.

The result of all this is that what is a "best" browser version to one user may not be what someone else deems the most feature-filled or speediest or latest or even 'safest' browser, but instead the version that last fulfilled that first users basic needs in a browser... always keeping in mind that user "needs" and "expectations" for a browser are themselves often shaped by the feature-flow they've experienced in previous designs.

This is an excellent explanation of the relatively useless attempt at coming to a conclusion of what is the so-called best version of Opera Presto. That being the case, perhaps someone here can tell us why this thread is useful in a help forum other than to state the obvious (i.e. such and such a version of Opera Presto was useful to me because...". It would seem to me that a more useful exercise would be to go to the Suggestion Box and post which features of Opera Presto you would like to see added to the new Opera Blink browser and why.

For me, I generally progressed with Opera's versions from the 8.x days, liking each one better than the one before. Until after 11.52... subsequent versions altered some things that worsened Opera's stability and install-ability on my old Win98 system - hence 11.52 remained my "best" Opera version for some time. Eventually, with new hardware, I continued liking later Presto Opera versions up through 12.14, each generally better than the one before. Until 12.15... when the user-selection of default search engine was removed. That mattered very greatly to me, so I elected to remain with 12.14 even with its growing insecurities, in the expectation that Opera would eventually find a way to restore user control of default search engines whilst protecting users against hijacking. Then came Blink... which is really OT here, other than to say the same process occurred: the loss of many previous valued features with the Blink versions left me looking at the "best" Opera version as remaining at 12.14.

The result of all this is that what is a "best" browser version to one user may not be what someone else deems the most feature-filled or speediest or latest or even 'safest' browser, but instead the version that last fulfilled that first users basic needs in a browser... always keeping in mind that user "needs" and "expectations" for a browser are themselves often shaped by the feature-flow they've experienced in previous designs.

Which is the best version of Opera (EXCLUDING anything past 12.17) and why??

You can claim that "others" have attempted to highjack the thread but you're doing no better yourself. You mention some features of Presto that you miss while doing your research but you don't really answer his question. What version are you using and exactly why are you using "that" particular version versus another? Any "complaint" including your disguised rant two posts above, really is off-topic (just as my response to it now is). I admit to now being off-topic so I'll give my DIRECT answer to the OP's question.

The best version of Presto is 12.17 for the simple reason that it contained the features I had become accustomed to (side panels, tab stacking, notes (although I can find an extension to duplicate this), skins to customize it to my liking AND most importantly... security patches to keep it current with today's malware threats.

In fact i realized that many Presto features weren't so essential, at least for me, and were more to impress others than to be useful to majority of users imho.

Well, sadly this thread has turned into another OhOldGeeksYouShouldUnderstandByNowThatNowdaysMobile/Tabloid/Win8+Youngsters aren'tDesktopUsers(!)anymoreAndNoOneWantsToKnowWhatWorkRelatedBrowsingNeedsComparedToCasualLeasureSuitSkiming Rant vs. Presto since early posts (title indicates everything beyond O12.17 is off-topic)...

But at the moment (and since some days) I am actually researching material for my diploma + having open a lot of python module manuals, lotsa stackexchange and similar help forums, etc. and without Notes, without Sessions, without Site Preferences and Panels like Links together with tab-stacking That would be a lot more hell then the PITA it already is!
Without Presto I am not sure how I would handle all this multi-tasking, sorting, etc.
And the real sad factor is, that there is no real alternative to Presto so far (Otter or Fifth may reach that in some time to come, but so far...)
Oh I missed to include that my customized UI is full of FavIcons[Bookmarks]/SearchFields/etc. - so that I can open the most visited sites with just a click on the icon, etc. (Yeah Boys, since Amiga Times I am also one of those users who are really organizing their desktop icons and are utilizing them to fasten their workflow (like drop-target .bats and similiar besides simple shortcuts)

Hmmm, I took a look at Leushino's profile and he has hundreds of posts with this same pattern "Opera Presto is dead. Deal with it." He never says anything constructive. And there are always leocg and sidney taking his side. I want to hear from them what kind of features new Opera has to offer to stand out more than any other Blink Chromium browser.

And who are you to just register a couple of days ago and check my profile? You're a disgruntled poster who has simply invented another profile to come back and create trouble. And as others have already said, you are "off-topic." I'm not going to answer your question although others have already done so. Indeed, today I posted a thread in which I commended the new browser regarding its new sharing bookmarks' feature. But again, that is off-topic so lets cut the personal attacks AND the trumped up, off-topic posts. "Nuff said?"

And there are always leocg and sidney taking his side.

You seem to be reading the wrong posts.

I want to hear from them what kind of features new Opera has to offer to stand out more than any other Blink Chromium browser.

Speed Dial, Hidpi support, tab preview, tab menu, just to cite a few.

Do i miss some Presto's features? Yes, i do. Does it prevent me from use Opera Blink? No, it doesn't.

In fact i realized that many Presto features weren't so essential, at least for me, and were more to impress others than to be useful to majority of users imho.

But the topic is for people to say why they keep using Opera Presto and not for them to say why they use Opera Blink.

... I want to hear from them what kind of features new Opera has to offer to stand out more than any other Blink Chromium browser.

I thought the title of the thread was: "Which is the best version of Opera excluding anything past 12.17 and why?" Seems to me that calling for a discussion of features offered by "new Opera" in this thread is consciously going off-topic.

Yes, it is slow as hell now on new pages loaded with lots of bull.
Yes, no full support of HTML5 and html5 video/streaming.

But the features of old good Opera outweigh disadvantages.

if only Opera devs would realize that nobody really cares about another Chrome clone... oh well.

Ah, there was "Sessions"!
You reminded me about it by all this stab tacking - one could use windows and sessions to handle large groups of pages, especially when you don't need them all at once

And now imagine sessions with sorted groups of opened tabs in them.
and voila u got a normal day in my past days (Opera 11)

But indeed the option to save actual sessions was extremely helpful as I was looking for new job or researching something particular.

Oh and a feature I miss is that ... if you write something in a Forum answer box, and accidentally close the tab, or press back, and come back to the answer box - what you typed is gone.
This was killing me for weeks while using 24 Opera, as I was so used to switch back and forth and keep on writing.

Feature: The Wand
Ahh having multiple logins for a page, most of them just different by the last digit. Just hit ctrl+enter, hit the down key a few times, hit enter, you're logged in.
That is something I was sooooo used to, and I am so used to Opera handling my accounts that hoping on 24 was really a bad day. Heck I couldn't remember most of the login data As since the dawn of time, Opera knew all about them So yes, the old listing of accounts in the Wand - that was really practical.

As I previously sad, for me it is not really bound to a specific version, it is more about the whole package that Presto Opera offered. Till they dropped Opera Unite, that day I didn't update anymore.

people like leushino just peace me off (he hijacks everyones threads, breaking rule 5 of this forum)

I understand you perfectly. I got the same feeling.

I also use stacking, it is a power feature for organisation.
For Windows TS I use full panel because there are lot of web documents with long title which doesn't fit well in a small side-panel and I don't like my panel use half of my screen.

For going back to topic, if I remember correctly, 12.02 is last 12 version supporting Unite.