The "reality" of this situation is that the user interface/functionality that for many years created a huge fan-base for this product has been pretty much devastated in the new version. All flaming/name-calling belligerence aside, this new product will not retain its oldest and most loyal fans if too many of the reasons for staying with them are missing.

"Cry baby"? Flame on. I never cared about useless content like that. If no one comments about the negative aspects of change, then the impression may remain that it is all good, and everyone will be surprised by an unexplained exodus.

(sigh)

This is sad.

I've been a huge fan of Opera since 2.x or 3.x or so. (I first used it so I could test compatibility of browsers visiting a website I created back when Netscape 2.0 was brand new)

But last night's Windows XP updates seem to have killed the Opera 12.16 I was running. It repeatedly launched directly into "no longer responding" mode.

So I uninstalled and installed the latest from the Opera website. Ver 20.x

I worked with it for an hour, but with the dawning realization that it has been dumbed down to something I can't even relate to. No more "tweakability", 3/4 of the customizing/settings options are simply gone. Name it... all the reasons I used Opera are just absent. No more integrated email client.... no more... well ... looking around... what is left of Opera here? I reinstalled 12.16 but even a clean install is dead... it won't launch.

So I'm back on Opera 20 and the standalone email client and feeling like I've been abandoned. Opera had it SO right for so many years, now this new interface feels disgusting and tacky and unmanageable, like I've accidentally opened IE or some other pariah browser.

So sad.

Disillusioned in Canada