Sorry, in my original post I meant to say in the third to last sentence: "but using a notorious SEARCH ENGINE that I and millions of others loathe." Google is not a browser, it was a slip.

Not sure what the window above means?

I am a fairly consciencious internet user. I don't wear a tinfoil hat, but I am security minded.

I prefer to use sites I trust, services I trust, and I take my internet privacy seriously as I think we all should. So in this light, I chose Opera because it was touted as much safer than Safari, Firefox etc. NOT being a programmer I have no idea which browsers are really brothers or shells of other browsers and all of that business.

A couple of months ago I updated to the new Opera browser and right before my eyes is a beautiful new browser, nice icons, and right at the top front and center is a big long GOOGLE search window that can't be moved or changed (or did I miss something because I'm not talking about the search window at the top right of the window/browser where you CAN choose various search engines.)

Google. Really? The search engine that is the most notorious for all that is wrong with the internet. (I'm sort of being funny here instead of trying to list the specific privacy issues I have with google which are all very real, and very disturbing).

So I'm curious. A browser that says it doesn't track or trace you (excuse if this isn't IT specific terminology) but using a notorious browser that I and millions of others loathe. Why Opera. Why?

Sure I can just opt to use the tiny search window at the top right as I do. I'm considering dropping Opera for a Aviator browser because of this Google nonsense.

I feel like Opera has been compromised.