Friday Night Faceoff - Opera vs. Firefox vs. The Others

[Zaxxon]

I know that we have a plethora of Opera, Firefox, and modified IE users on these forums, many of which are ardent followers of one or the other (myself included). What I'm looking to do here is get an idea from those who have given each browser a significant try-out, and have settled on one as a clear winner over the other, of what features won them over to their current browser, and/or pushed them away from the others. Let's try not to let this dissolve into fanboi talk, but to have a constructive discussion instead.

I used Netscape from when I first joined the Internet realm in 1995, up through the Communicator until I switched to IE with version 4. IE was a capable browser for me for awhile, until I discovered Opera in 2000 with version 5.12. At this point Mozilla wasn't a very reliable browser, and Firefox didn't exist. Opera was in a totally different realm than IE and Netscape, offering Multiple Document Interface browsing, speed, and customizability. I've stayed with Opera ever since, giving other new browsers thorough tests as they've been released.

For me, Opera still holds a sizable lead over the rest of the pack. I think Firefox is its closest competition (and is an excellent browser in its own right), so I'll focus on why I believe Opera is a better match for me than Firefox.

First, I'll address the things that Firefox has or claims to have over Opera, and why they're not very important to me:

Firefox is free, without an ad. One can argue that Opera's usability doesn't suffer from the ad, but there's no need in my case. I spend so much time on the Internet, that a paltry $39 is a total steal if the software is a match for me.

Firefox is open-source. I'm a big supporter of open-source software, and think it's a vital part of the overall software industry. I'm amazed at how great a product the Mozilla community puts out, and how awesome several other open-source programs are (Linux, OpenOffice, and Gaim to name a few). But I also have nothing against closed-source software; I think Opera is a great little company, and the open-source vs proprietary debate doesn't really swing me one way or another. In fact, Firefox's open-source roots also serve as a disadvantage if you have problems with the software, as you're forced to go find support wherever it may lie, whereas I have a simple and quick email response from a dedicated support team with Opera.

Firefox is infinitely customizable via extensions. This is, IMO, Firefox's biggest 'Opera can't do that!' feature. It's nice. However, Opera works just as I like it to out of the box. I don't have to find extensions, or worry that they'll break in new versions. Everything's right where I need it, and it fits together snugly. And most of the customizations that I do want to make (look/feel/layout changes), Opera makes simple at best, and easy at worst.

Now on to Opera's strengths.

The M2 mail client is ridiculously better than everything else out there. Firefox can emulate most of the best selling points of Opera, but Thunderbird can't even swim in the same lake as M2. I don't think it's possible to understand just how revolutionary M2 is for someone who has a ton of information to store, process, and maintain unless the person gives it a decent try; words just don't cut it. M2 maintains my email, newsgroups, RSS feeds, and discussion lists for me. I don't have to sort mail. I don't spend much time sifting through spam. My most difficult searches through my 70,000+ messages take just seconds. M2 saves me at least 30 minutes each day just by allowing me to focus on reading and responding to messages rather than administering them. I receive several hundred emails each day (most of them spam), and dozens of RSS entries, yet I spend virtually no time doing any sorting or filtering. And it's built right into Opera. Click the RSS icon in the address bar of an RSS-enabled page, and I'm subscribed and can read the feed right from the M2 panel. One click.

Someone else's excellent quick overview of why M2 kicks ass

Panels rock. I can easily see my bookmarks, searches, mail, contacts, IRC, notes, downloads, history, page info, links, and open windows right in the left-hand panel of Opera. I can close them altogether or open them back up with a quick click anywhere on the left-hand border of Opera. All my Internet-related information is right there, all within Opera.

Opera's navigable any way I want. Mouse, keyboard, voice, it makes no difference. I can make my way around Opera with any input medium I choose, without any trouble. I have a bit of carpal tunnel, and I'm on a computer all day for my day job as well as much of many nights for gaming or surfing. I can't use the mouse all the time, or I get severe pain. I can use Opera with the keyboard just as fast as I can with the mouse, through its excellent keyboard support and spacial navigation.

Use Opera without a mouse

Integrated searching, information storage and retrieval, and quick destination access made easy. I can search any search engine I want simply by typing directly into my address bar, and beginning with a simple letter. For example, 'g octopus overlords are coming' searches Google for 'octopus overlords are coming'. Or I can put a Google box on my interface and use that. Or I can search in the current page just by hitting /, and without giving up any screen space or pulling a box over my page to search in. I can go to a bookmark just by typing its nickname into the address field. I can call up a whole session of a dozen pages just by typing a single nickname into the address bar. I can pick up where I left off without doing anything other than closing the browser. Even if it crashes. I can keep notes, and store snippets of text as notes, maintaining a link back to their origin automatically.

I can also change the most frequently-used options very easily. F12 allows me to change my pop-up, browser ID, and multimedia settings instantly. 'g' toggles images on and off on a per-window basis with a single key press.

And these are just a few of the reasons; there is no way to fully comprehend the awe that is Opera without trying it out yourself for at least a couple of days, and putting in some effort to learn about its many features. Some people find this a drawback; I don't. For something that I and so many others use so ridiculously much, I find it incredible that so many people won't put any time into a slight learning curve.

Another Opera addict's reasoning behind choosing Opera over Firefox. I highly recommend reading this blog; the author makes some good points.

Bottom line: I spent way too much time on this, but it's a topic I love to talk about, and hopefully some others are willing to do the same.

[Zekester]

My 3 main Opera strengths:

-more secure than IE

-tabbed browsing

-If I shut down without closing Opera, the next time I start up all my last web pages open again

But some pages definately look better with IE than Opera

Never tried Firefox.

[RunningMn9]

Long ago, I used Netscape. Then I switched to IE because it was better. Then one day I opened ESPN.com and picked up 380 pests in about 8 microseconds.

So I tried Opera, and then Firefox. I don't really have a preference for either, except that there are two sites that I go to several times a day that don't work with Opera. And so I use Firefox.

I do like that Opera saves the tabs you have open. That's annoying about Firefox.

I have SP2 installed at home, and I use IE there because I'm too lazy to install Firefox.

I use Outlook Express as my email client. I tried Thunderbird and hated it. Never tried M2, nor do I care to. OE does what I need it to do.

[Jeff V]

I've never had a problem with IE. I occasionally have to use web-based applications that support nothing but IE. Some of the plug-ins I've grown fond of using also may not be compatible with other browsers, which would suck. Perhaps some day I'll try one of the other ones, but I have absolutely no motivation to do so.

[JSHAW]

I'm in the same category as Jeff V.

I don't understand some people's obsession with finding another internet browser. How many different way's does one need to view a website?

With WinXP's SP2 ability to block popups, I just don't feel any need to go to any other type of browser. Even before SP2 I was using a popup blocker from Earthlink and it still kicks ass when using any operating system.

I've tried FireFox, tried Opera, even used browser's that come bundled with Knoppix and GIS-Knoppix and it really doesn't matter what the browser can do or look like, as long as it connects me to whatever web address I type in. But that's just me.

I'm a simple man with simple needs. Just connect me to where I need to go and I'm happy.

IE does a great job for me, I don't see any need to use anything else.
I have tried other browsers, so what? It's not like they give me the ability to take over third world countries and access secret databases that I shouldn't be able to. You show me how to do that and I'll consider switching to another browser.

[Zaxxon]

It's not like they give me the ability to take over thrid world countries and access secret databases that I shouldn't be able to. You show me how to do that and I'll consider switching to another browser.

Unfortunately those options are only enabled on the Opera preview releases. Sorry.

[Austin]

Does gmail work on Opera yet?

I tried Opera (w/ ad). The ad didn't bother me but I just really really prefer Firefox. Opera seemed to me like it had too much going on. I just want to surf the net and Firefox does that very well. If I want to add something, I just add an extention. I guess Opera seems a bit bloated with stuff I don't want or need.

[The Mad Hatter]

Does gmail work on Opera yet?

I tried Opera (w/ ad). The ad didn't bother me but I just really really prefer Firefox. Opera seemed to me like it had too much going on. I just want to surf the net and Firefox does that very well. If I want to add something, I just add an extention. I guess Opera seems a bit bloated with stuff I don't want or need.

Which is what drove me away from Netscape, back in the day. I've always just wanted a browser, not a lot of pointless extras. Firefox does that very well for me now.