Ranting about browsers
In response to Google's Marissa Mayer on Chrome, New Web Browser.
Opera used an MDI interface and Firefox copied this idea as a simpler tabs based system probably because it was easier to implement. Chrome´s automatically generated home page (the nine bookmarks) is also from Opera. As are many of the privacy functions like blocking Javascript redirects and alerts, popup blocking and cleaning sensitive data. Zooming and the download system might also come from Opera. I haven´t used every single browser version in existence, so I might be wrong about some of these features. Please enlighten me.
Today Opera is a powerful alternative to more common browsers. In my opinion Opera is more important than Internet Explorer. Sure, most business people would say that this statement is nonsense, but who do you think is pushing web standards ahead ? Opera or IE/Silverlight/C#/WPF/Word/Office/Visual Studio/WMV aka Microsoft ? And do you think cell phones use IE ?
The multiple process functionality is a result of Webkit crashing all the time, Web 2.0 using more memory than Java and because most websites don´t check for CSRF attacks. Google Chrome is a standard Microsoft move. Microsoft embedded IE into Windows. Google embedded Gears into Webkit. Other Web 2.0 companies where making Google look bad because of software crashes and Flash video ads running at 100% CPU. Google is protecting their own brand from the stink of failure.
Anyone who belittle Opera are retarded uninformed. Netscape is dead. Opera is still here. Any doubters can go play with their pets.com sock puppet :)
Update:
Sorry about my grammar.
I should also rephrase myself. Uninformed is a better word than retarded. It's difficult to be subtle in a second language.
The reason I'm venting is because of the Eolas patent lawsuit. $600m for copying European technology and then adding one feature.. also copied from another company. By that logic Windows Vista is liable to the tune of millions of trillions of dollars. And American IP would be valued at something close to infinity.