The O Word
No, not that O word: I'm referring to Opera, a little known web browser that's been around for some time. After finally getting fed up with Internet Explorer (and also simply wanting a change), I downloaded both Firefox and Opera. In my opinion, Opera is the better of the two, but that could simply be a matter of taste.
Why Opera? It's faster, looks nicer, has tabbed browsing and, best of all, no POPUPS! Don't get me started on the laughable pop up blocker for IE: it's actually more annoying than the popups themselves. I also find it funny how those annoying poker pop ups make their way through but important ones don't. Hmm...
I just remembered: I had a message of my voicemail the other day, and I though, "yes, I'm important enough for someone to call me." Turns out it was one of those "sorry we missed you" home security guys. I thought to myself, why the hell would they be phoning me? Then my housemate reminded me that Bell probably sold my phone number. Bastards! This is what I don't like about our current communism (this ain't capitalism anymore, and extremes meet).
It's like going to a movie: if I pay for a admission, there's no reason on earth why I have to sit through annoying commercials. The whole reason we have commercials on TV is because they technically pay for the programming, hence the reason you must pay for commercial free TV (such a waste of time anyway). Similarly, I found out not too long ago that whenever you write the LSAT or GRE (Law School and Grad School Admission exams, respectively), which cost about 150 bucks a pop, they sell your information to other schools, usually sketchy ones you've never heard of (then again, St. Louis University in Madrid didn't sound bad). If you're selling my information, at least subsidize the fu#$^n thing!
posted by Pious Labours | 10:55 a.m.
3 Comments:
Hey Arby,
I invented that movie commercial argument!
John
Been playing around with Opera too, and there are lots of things I like about it but some I don't (or which I haven't figured out yet). Part of my Catching Up With Technology phase I'm going through right now. ;-) On the whole I'd say it's a smoother browser, though. IE 7 RC1 was a huge disappointment, sucking resources and causing no end of difficulties, especially on an older machine like YT's.
But Microsoft reminds me of those things, like the LSAT and the GRE, that one's almost invariably forced to deal with at one point or another, only to come largely to regret it. I've recently rid myself completely of Microsoft Office in favour of OpenOffice, which is free and less prone to destabilization. You might want to check it out. If you do, let me know what you think of it.
John: yes, indeed you did. (c)2005?
J:yeah, Opera's not perfect, but it's the best one I've used. I'll try that open office one day.
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