What you suggested, the same in all of the Opera how to's, DOES NOT WORK in this version, because the settings are not shown, when the menu is displayed at the top. Yesterday I found a huge controversy on the Opera forums about them removing the menu bar, to which they apparently pay no heed. However, fortunately, on my version it's just hidden, which is the latest version available for my OS, and I must have enabled it previously, then forgotten. Again, the settings don't show up when the menu bar does, and vice versa ~ a really dumb idea, and I can see why people don't like it.

In any case, here is how to either find the preferences, or the menu bar with this version.

MENU BAR
Click the Opera logo, below "open" at upper left of screen,
go down to show menu bar, and click it ~ now the menu bar shows at the top.

SETTINGS
Click File, at upper left of screen
go down and UNcheck show menu bar
Click the Opera logo, below "open" at upper left of screen,
go down to "settings", and the "preferences" link shows at the right.

"Click on the Opera logo and go down to settings and preferences. What is so difficult about that?"

Because what you said is totally WRONG.

Settings don't show when the menu is showing. Read my previous post.

What you suggested, the same in all of the Opera how to's, DOES NOT WORK in this version, because the settings are not shown, when the menu is displayed at the top. Yesterday I found a huge controversy on the Opera forums about them removing the menu bar, to which they apparently pay no heed. However, fortunately, on my version it's just hidden, which is the latest version available for my OS, and I must have enabled it previously, then forgotten. Again, the settings don't show up when the menu bar does, and vice versa ~ a really dumb idea, and I can see why people don't like it.

In any case, here is how to either find the preferences, or the menu bar with this version.

MENU BAR
Click the Opera logo, below "open" at upper left of screen,
go down to show menu bar, and click it ~ now the menu bar shows at the top.

SETTINGS
Click File, at upper left of screen
go down and UNcheck show menu bar
Click the Opera logo, below "open" at upper left of screen,
go down to "settings", and the "preferences" link shows at the right.

Where can I find the settings and preferences in the browser?

I've been all through the menu bars, haven't found them listed, have checked the search engines and Opera Help.

I'm using Opera version 12.12 for Linux.