Here are some suggestions for those looking for alternatives to Opera 12 (and use Opera Mail)
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salahuddin1 last edited by
I've spent the last several weeks looking for some potential alternatives to Opera 12. Like many of the opinions expressed here, I too have been quite disappointed with the new Opera and have lost trust with the developers and the company. I understand the reasons why Opera wanted to make a switch from Presto, but to release an unfinished browser on the community is unacceptable. It is also not acceptable to ask unsatisfied users to "hold tight" to Opera 12 while clearly stating that the new Opera will not have the features of the old one. I would argue that most users who switched to Opera did so for its uniqueness and functionality. I don't understand how closing the door on the <2% of users who use Opera to imitate Google Chrome, which is backed by more developers, more users, and far more resources, makes any business sense.
In any case, I thought I'd share my experience, since I am sure many others are wondering where to go from Opera 12. I personally have switched to SeaMonkey for now and find this works quite well. Other options I have tried or researched with some pros and cons are mentioned below. Please keep in mind that I use Opera Mail and so I was looking for both a browser and mail client alternative. The reason from switching away from Opera Mail is again due to a lack of trust with the development team. Especially now that Opera Mail is a separate program and is not to be reintegrated with the Opera browser, I highly doubt that it will get much attention by the Opera team.
SeaMonkey
Pros:
- The only other web browser/email suite I am aware of
- Using this as both a browser/email client will use less system resources than using two separate programs
- Handles many open tabs far more efficiently than Opera 12
- Highly customizable, similar to earlier versions of Firefox
- Can gain many Opera 12 functions using Add Ons
- Some Add Ons offer superior functionality to what was offered in Opera 12 (particularly Adblock Plus and Flashgot in my case)
- Uses Mozilla source code which allows some Firefox extensions to be used in SeaMonkey (may involve some trial/error)
- Firefox updates pushes SeaMonkey development due to the shared code
- Open Source and community driven development which makes it less likely that users will experience something like what just happened with Opera
- Has been around for some time, officially SeaMonkey since 2006, was the Mozilla Application Suite prior to that, browser is descended from Netscape
- Email client more friendly to use with IMAP Gmail than Opera Mail
- Email client is similar to Thunderbird. Although I haven't tried it yet, it seems like exporting emails and contacts to Thunderbird would be very easy.
- Can easily import your Opera Mail and Opera Bookmarks
- Bookmarks!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cons:
- No mouse gestures. I haven't found a SeaMonkey Add On to implement this, but a Firefox one might exist
- No speed dial
- Interface feels a bit outdated (but you can use Firefox themes)
- I had to manually cut and paste my contacts from Opera Mail into SeaMonkey as there is no easy way to export Opera contacts to use with SeaMonkey (or Thunderbird for that matter)Firefox and Thunderbird
Pros:
- Review by TomsHardware rates Firefox as the top browser
- Firefox rated as the most "trusted" browser by users
- Handles many open tabs far more efficiently than Opera 12
- Highly customizable
- Many Add Ons, I personally can regain all the functionality I regularly used in Opera 12
- As with SeaMonkey some Add Ons offer superior functionality in certain cases to Opera 12
- Open Source and community driven development
- I found Thunderbird more friendly to use with IMAP Gmail than Opera Mail
- Add Ons to better integrate Firefox with Thunderbird
- Can easily import your Opera Mail and Opera Bookmarks
- Mouse Gestures
- Speed Dial Add On
- Bookmarks!!!!!!! Oh wait, all other browsers have bookmarks. I'd apologize for the sarcasm, but you must admit releasing a browser without this feature is absurd
Cons:
- Community complaints of recent changes making the new Firefox look too much like Chrome. I personally did not find this to be an issue.
- Two separate programs increase the memory usage, not quite double that of SeaMonkey, but close
- In mid 2012, Mozilla announced development focus away from Thunderbird and planned to keep further development primarily community driven. As far as I can tell, it continues to be updated.
- Not easy to import Opera Mail contacts into ThunderbirdeM Client (email client only, can use with your preferred browser as you can with Thunderbird)
Pros:
- Unparalleled synchronization with Gmail, Calendar, Contacts etc.
- Free for personal use, limit of 2 accounts
- Full feature set similar to Microsoft Outlook
Cons:
- Numerous reports of crashes and data loss
- Due to the bugs/problems, generally below average user rating
- Not Open Source like Thunderbird/SeaMonkeyHope this helps. Please add any other suggestions to this post for potential alternatives.
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Deleted User last edited by
Really, this post does not belong here. If you wish to leave for another browser...by all means - leave and be done with it. But coming here and stirring up more strife than is necessary is not welcomed. I'm surprised Opera doesn't simply toss you out. I'm certain you would be disciplined by Mozilla if you pulled this. Opera users are intelligent enough to figure out THEIR OWN alternatives. We don't need to hear YOUR choices nor do we need to hear YOUR take on things. All you've done is re-state the obvious that has been posted about a thousand times now. You ask: does it help? I suppose it might help a complete idiot who is incapable of finding his way around the internet, but the average Joe? Well, that's just silly. :whistle:
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leevi last edited by
He isn't stirring up any strife leushino, so give it a rest. And tone it down.
No harm in people trying other alternatives.
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Deleted User last edited by
Originally posted by Leevi:
He isn't stirring up any strife leushino, so give it a rest. And tone it down.
No harm in people trying other alternatives.
Thank you Leevi! In fact, to take it further, had it NOT been for wanting to try alternatives to the big two browsers of the day back in the 1990s,
very few if any of us would have found Opera. I found Opera NOT by frequenting these forums, they did not exist at the time, but rather searching
on my own at another site. In the file repositories, they had a installer for a beta version of Opera, I tried it and liked it, way back when Windows
3.1 ruled the roost. My experiences with that early version of Opera led to me purchasing a license, a license which is still installed on not only
my Win3X installation but also Win95. These forums, however, I did not even peruse until much later, some 10 years or so.Leushino, you seem too quick to judge someone that has criticisms of the new Opera based on Blink. Without feedback, both negative and
positive, the developers have a much more difficult time determining WHAT features we as users would like to see in a browser. Granted it's
just my opinion, and not worth 2 cents, but everyone has a right to voice their opinion on these forums as long as they abide by the TOS.
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salahuddin1 last edited by
Thank you both Leevi and Wizard57M,
You know leushino, if you're tired of reading negative things about the new Opera browser, maybe you should stop reading these forums. Not quite sure what possesses you to respond to everyone who makes an anti Opera sentiment on these forums. Not even sure how one man can commit so much time and energy to such a cause. I'm sure the Opera developers don't appreciate your attitude of further driving away disappointed Opera users with your "get lost if you don't like it" attitude.
The "average Joe" doesn't know about SeaMonkey or probably even Opera for that matter. I consider myself fairly technical and I was having a difficult time finding an alternative to Opera 12. Given this difficulty, I thought I would share my experience to make it easier for someone else. If people like you want to stay with the new Opera, by all means go for it. This post was obviously not meant for someone who is content with the feature set of Opera 17. Perhaps I can suggest that you occupy your time reading and responding to things that pertain to you.
Also I highly doubt Mozilla would ever discipline a user for posting alternatives to Firefox. I don't even know where you would get that from. And if Firefox did the same thing as the Opera just did, the forums would be so full of anti Firefox posts you would need a to hire a few hundred people to tell them all to get lost and find a new browser.
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Deleted User last edited by
Originally posted by Leevi:
He isn't stirring up any strife leushino, so give it a rest. And tone it down.
No harm in people trying other alternatives.
Tone what down? Are you serious? Anyone can clearly find alternatives for Opera. Geeze, I have them myself for crying out loud and I'm not even the proverbial "power-user" that Opera appears to have attracted down through the years. He told us NOTHING...zero. My grandson can figure out alternative browsers without this sort of guidance. What he "did" was use that excuse as a means of whining about Opera's current direction. I happen to have faith in Opera's dev team. Do you?
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Deleted User last edited by
Originally posted by Salahuddin1:
Not quite sure what possesses you to respond to everyone who makes an anti Opera sentiment on these forums. Not even sure how one man can commit so much time and energy to such a cause.
And what possesses you to give us your browser life history as though it's something each and every one needs to know? Why would you think that there would be any interest in that? You don't like the new browser so you run off to find an alternative. Did it occur to you that you have a very viable alternative in O-P-E-R-A? Yes, instead of giving us other browsers that we can use (which is clearly a slam at the Opera team... "i.e. SEE... we hate the new Opera so much that we're going to use another browser"), you could just as easily continued to use v.12.16 or 11.64. There are many in these forums who continue to make use of them instead of starting threads to stir up trouble. And that's exactly what your intent was in spite of Levi's cutting you slack. You and I both know what your real intent was... right?
You don't want me to counter your post because I see through to the real motivation. You're not helping anyone. FF/TB and SeaMonkey have been mentioned a thousand times as possible alternatives. Big deal. There isn't much left, is there...really.... Maxthon and a few also-ran browsers?
I happen to like Opera and I happen to believe it needs a voice to counter the hysteria that has gripped many of the whiners. THAT'S what possesses me to write.
Buy I'll tell you what. I'll put you on Ignore and I invite you to do the same for me. Okay? :whistle:
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salahuddin1 last edited by
Wow, you really have some serious issues leushino.
Well since you have so astutely unravelled my secret nefarious intentions, I guess I have no choice but to give up and downgrade my version of Opera.
There really is no point trying to argue with you since it doesn't appear like logic is working. However, perhaps you might want to consider the irony of trolling in someone else's post only to follow it by a request to be ignored.
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A Former User last edited by
The description of the Opera Forum is given as “Discuss the Opera desktop browser.”
So this thread is off-topic here, and belongs in the Software forum.
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salahuddin1 last edited by
Originally posted by sgunhouse:
As far as it goes, Firefox has gone the same way as Opera has - recent versions are based on Webkit rather than their previous engine. I wouldn't bother with it yet. Give it some time to stabilize ... same as Opera.
Do you have a link to this? All releases of Firefox scheduled up to 27 are on Gecko link. I also thought Firefox already stated they would not switch from Gecko.
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lodestone last edited by
Originally posted by Salahuddin1:
Cons:
- No mouse gestures. I haven't found a SeaMonkey Add On to implement this, but a Firefox one might exist
- No speed dial
- Interface feels a bit outdated (but you can use Firefox themes)
- I had to manually cut and paste my contacts from Opera Mail into SeaMonkey as there is no easy way to export Opera contacts to use with SeaMonkey (or Thunderbird for that matter)Thank you!
I never have used "mouse gestures" (I use a touchpad and have that finger wisting feature turned off).
I always had speed dial disabled. I don't need blocks on my desktop. I played with blocks when I was a kid, but that's a long time ago. Bookmarks are perfectly fine, thank you. And to have a browser-integrated email client is very handy when also using Sandboxie.
I'm sure I'll be able to make SeaMonkey look fine. I have Opera in minimalistic with only the bookmarks, mail, and contacts icons showing in the left margin. The default browser page is StartPage (Ixquick related). On top it only shows the open tabs and under that on the left the <-, ->, refresh circle, and key icon for logging in. Right of that the search bar.No distracting clutter, only the functional for my needs.
I just downloaded SeaMonkey. I didn't even know it existed as a currently useful browser, I though it was a now obsolete forerunner of Firefox...
I will install it to try it out. But I'll continue to utilize Opera 12.16 for as long as possible. Maybe the developers will keep Opera 12 up. But if not, SeaMonkey might become my next default browser. It won't be Opera "Next."This tread is very helpful to us long-time Opera users who love Opera for all the versions it gave us up to 15.
Thanks again!
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lodestone last edited by
Originally posted by leushino:
I happen to like Opera and I happen to believe it needs a voice to counter the hysteria that has gripped many of the whiners. THAT'S what possesses me to write.
I like Opera too. A lot. Only not the latest versions. But I'm not complaining to the givers of free gifts, like so many of the previous versions also were.
Yet does Opera need someone to defend it? If so it would mean that it's quality would not be good enough to speak for itself... (I'm not suggesting that's the case, but don't you suggest it either by attacking everyone who's not absolutely thrilled with the latest versions.)
Opera is not something to identify with. And if you experience upset, have a look at this short clip to remember that:
"Positivity amidst Negativity - Guided Meditation"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyg087xFDZo -
elrice last edited by
Originally posted by sgunhouse:
As far as it goes, Firefox has gone the same way as Opera has - recent versions are based on Webkit rather than their previous engine. I wouldn't bother with it yet. Give it some time to stabilize ... same as Opera.
Um SG, this is the second time I have seen you post this nonsense about FF transitioning to WebKit and it needs to stop. Mozilla has never and never will use WebKit. Mozilla have co-developed Servo but that is yet to make an appearance in their browsers... it's still all Gecko based mate
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lodestone last edited by
Hopefully Opera 12 will continue to be updated so I can keep utilizing it far into the future. If not, I'll keep it as my default browser for as long as it works well, as it does for me now.
But just for fun I'm looking at this instructive tutorial:
"SeaMonkey - Browse the web, work with mail, chat in IRC - Download Video Previews"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxJe1X_7gNI -
funksoulbro last edited by
Originally posted by Salahuddin1:
You know leushino, if you're tired of reading negative things about the new Opera browser, maybe you should stop reading these forums. Not quite sure what possesses you to respond to everyone who makes an anti Opera sentiment on these forums. Not even sure how one man can commit so much time and energy to such a cause.
Well said. The guy is like some over-defensive fanboy getting angry when people criticise his beloved company. I'm looking around for an alternative to Opera as, like many long-time Opera users, I think the new version is terrible, so I found the OP's post useful.
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frenzie last edited by
Originally posted by elrice:
Originally posted by sgunhouse:
As far as it goes, Firefox has gone the same way as Opera has - recent versions are based on Webkit rather than their previous engine. I wouldn't bother with it yet. Give it some time to stabilize ... same as Opera.
Um SG, this is the second time I have seen you post this nonsense about FF transitioning to WebKit and it needs to stop. Mozilla has never and never will use WebKit. Mozilla have co-developed Servo but that is yet to make an appearance in their browsers... it's still all Gecko based mate
Never say never.
But yeah, Gecko is alive and well. It's just the Fx interface that received an
overhauldowngrade. Not the engine. -
elrice last edited by
Originally posted by Frenzie:
Originally posted by elrice:
Originally posted by sgunhouse:
As far as it goes, Firefox has gone the same way as Opera has - recent versions are based on Webkit rather than their previous engine. I wouldn't bother with it yet. Give it some time to stabilize ... same as Opera.
Um SG, this is the second time I have seen you post this nonsense about FF transitioning to WebKit and it needs to stop. Mozilla has never and never will use WebKit. Mozilla have co-developed Servo but that is yet to make an appearance in their browsers... it's still all Gecko based mate
Never say never.
But yeah, Gecko is alive and well. It's just the Fx interface that received an
overhauldowngrade. Not the engine.Eh? I keep hearing that but most has simply been tucked away by default (such as the menubar which is only an Alt key away or can be set to display). To be honest I strip the GUI back even further (no back, forward, home reload/stop or new-tab buttons) removing any buttons I prefer to hotkey. Now if they decide to go the path of Australis in its current form I might quickly change my opinion, but until then....
Mozilla has said under no terms will they move to WebKit... the eventual transition will likely be to Servo unless that births a new browser altogether which is rather likely. Don't forget Gecko has a much larger developer pool than Presto ever enjoyed which makes troubleshooting an easier process... I dare say if Presto had had that same dev/user base it may not have been ditched the way it has been.
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frenzie last edited by
Originally posted by elrice:
I keep hearing that but most has simply been tucked away by default (such as the menubar which is only an Alt key away or can be set to display).
Custom toolbars, tabs on bottom, small icons mode, find bar at the bottom, etc. Of course back in Fx 4 they already made e.g. cookies management practically impossible to find, so it's just continuing the trend of obfuscating and removing options.
When I say Opera or Firefox seem to be racing to the Chromium-led bottom, I'm not especially likely to be talking about the default interface du jour. I haven't been especially fond of Opera's default interface since 7.5 or so. With the way Firefox is going and Opera is at least adding back a modicum of features, I can only hope Firefox might still be a potential suitor in half a year or so.
Originally posted by elrice:
Now if they decide to go the path of Australis in its current form I might quickly change my opinion, but until then....
The final release of Australis in its current form is due this week, isn't it? Maybe it's time to start changing your opinion.
