OK, I’m not going to talk about that security flaw in IE here - I’ll leave that to others, such as The Register in ‘Critical’ IE bug threatens PC users. What I’ll mention briefly here is the wording I’ve seen elsewhere, too:
The other option is to choose an alternative browser, such as Firefox or Opera. However, even these browsers are not as safe from attack as they were once considered.
Firefox has been subject to a number of flaws over the past year, including one that could leave its users more vulnerable to phishing scams. Meanwhile, a report published in September by Symantec rated Internet Explorer as safer than Firefox. The report found some 25 flaws in Mozilla’s Firefox internet browser, almost double the number it discovered in IE.
Vulnerabilities in Opera is not mentioned - not here, not elsewhere - and I wonder: Why not? There are vulnerabilities to mention, right? Since it’s mentioned that it’s not as safe from attacks as once considered, I mean. Wouldn’t it be natural to mention at least one, serious vulnerability, like with Firefox?
Just wondered…
Categories: Browsers, Security
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 I have some searches going for Opera, and am updated regulary by web feeds (RSS/Atom) and by mail, from search engines and blog searches. The results are very mixed, and quite a bit of it is without interest.However, there are a few things that appear from time to time - one of those things are about paying for Opera.
True, you used to have to pay for a registered version of Opera to remove the ads, or to continue using it after the trial period before that. Obviously, there will be many search results that show this, but I’m not talking about that. What I have in mind, are new articles and reviews, that are written well after the browser went free.
In many such articles, reviews and browser comparisions, you read about how you have to pay for the registered version, how some features (kiosk mode) is available only in the registered version, how you have to put up with ads or get the registered version… How come people are still stuck in the past?
I can - in part - understand those who write general articles, as they may just rely on their memory of a browser they tried several months ago - a browser that did have ads, or needed to be registered for a fee. Understand - but still think it’s bad workmanship, not to check the current situation. After all, browser development happens fast.
Then there are those who have checked a bit. They do get the current browser version correct, but still manage to miss one important fact: That Opera is free. Gratis. I’ve even seen reviews of the browser, including the technical preview of Opera 9, where the reviewer manage to mention the ads, or the “registered version”. Hello? How did you do the review? I mean, just installing and trying the browser should tell you that there are no ads there. They’re gone. There are no registered and ad supported versions - there’s just one, free version.
I’ve tried to correct a few of these, but there are a couple of thoughts swirling around in my mind: Why doesn’t people check things more, to be sure they are correct? Especially reviewers. What are their motives? And if they can’t get such basic facts right - how can I trust their article? Are they negligent only when it comes to Opera, or is this how they treat all they write about?
It should be so easy to do things right in the first place - instead, I’m left with a bit distrust due to sloppy work.
Categories: Browsers
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 DRM is needed. DRM is the only way to prevent everyone from making pirate copies of software. DRM is the only way to keep companies profitable. Not using DRM must be punished. Right?
At least, that seems to be what Starforce think, a company that makes DRM themselves, because as Stardock Systems released their game Galactic Civilizations II without DRM, Starforce responds by telling people on their own forum where you can get a pirate copy of the game.This doesn’t sound particulary nice, does it? Rather on the opposite end of the scale… Of course, they must feel the need to do this: If Stardock Systems show that DRM is not needed, what would become of Starforce?
Categories: DRM and stuff
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I enjoy using Opera - and personally I think Opera ASA is the best browser company in the world. I’m sure not everyone agrees with me - but I don’t know who Rich Tennant, the cartoonist of the 5th wave have in mind…
Categories: Browsers, Humour
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Well - not according to MSN, that is. At least, not enough.
There is a competition at MSN, where you can win MP3 players or an XBox 360 Core. It could be fun to try, I thought, and browsed over to the website to check it out. it looked nice - except for one box, where the technical specifications for being able to participate were listed up:
- Javascript - checked
- Flash 7 - checked
- Compatible browser *- failed
- Screen resolution 1024×768 - checked
The browser failed? Is Active-X required then? But no, the definition of a compatible browser was listed below: “You need a browser that are in accordance with W3C, for example Internet Explorer 5 or higher, Netscape 6.1 or higher, Firefox or Safari.”
Now - I’m really curious of where exactly Opera is not in accordance with W3C - because MSN doesn’t block Opera needlessly on purpose, do they? Though, it wouldn’t be the first time…
Categories: Browsers
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72 bands may be hidden in the Virgin-picture, but it’s an idea that was to good to be left alone - so why not repeat it?
In this image, 37 names of Brazilian music are hidden.There are bands and artists, operating or extinct, of the rock to funk music.
I can’t say I’m particulary knowledgeable of the Brazilian music scene, but this makes me curious. So if anyone knows of any names hiding in the picture, please comment. 
Categories: Music/MP3, Random Thoughts
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A technical preview of Opera 9 has been available for download for a while now, teasing us with some of what we can expect. Many have downloaded it,and use it as their primary browser (despite warnings from Opera that it’s an unfinished product, and as such do contain bugs.) But remember: This is a preview. A taste of what we can expect - not all of it. So, what more will we get?
Operawatch broke the news that widgets will be included - small browser windows that display information taken from the Internet on a user’s desktop. Much like the Dashboard in OS X on the Mac. To get it started, around 10 widgets will be provided by Opera, according to CNET, but anyone can make new ones.
Also new will be thumbnails of the pages. These will appear when you hover over the tabs, for easy recognition of what it is. This is similar to what IE7 will provide.
We also will see the return of bittorrent in Opera 9. This was a much loved feature in an earlier technical preview, so this will be welcome news for many. In addition, Opera will provide access to the bittorrent search engine through the browser interface.
But when can we expect to get our hands on it? According to the just released pressrelease from Opera ASA about bittorrent inclusion, technical preview 2 will be released soon (tomorrow at Tuesday, it sems, and according to the CNET article the final release will be at the end of June.)
Categories: Browsers
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If we listen to RIAA, it sounds like the only sensible stance to take against piracy and file sharing is to sue your own customers, and with the exception of several of the artists themselves, this seems to be the view of the rest of the music business, too. Except - it’s not so.
Canadian artist label and management company Nettwerk Music Group has joined the fight against the RIAA on behalf of consumers who wish to download music. This happens after RIAA sued a man for alleged file sharing of 9 tunes, including one by Avril Lavigne, a Nettwerk Management client.
“Suing music fans is not the solution, it’s the problem,” stated Terry McBride, C.E.O of Nettwerk Music Group.
I wonder if RIAA will ever see it this way…
Categories: In the news, Music/MP3
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While Opera users sometimes find sites that discriminates them due to bad browser sniffers, the music site eMusic seems to make its own twist on the situation: According to this article on about.com, eMusic presents different offers depending on which browser you use, and which OS. Opera users get the best offer, and Firefox users the least.
How long will this situation last, now that it’s brought forward in the news? No idea. Maybe I should go and have a look? With Opera, of course.
Hmmm - just had a look. I didn’t get such a good offer as the article writes about, so it may be changed already - but I haven’t tested with other browsers.
UPDATE: It seems to be completely random after all, not dependent on which browser you have. I just saw the same thing mentioned on Opera Watch, and the comments there show very different results.
Categories: Browsers, Music/MP3
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New versions and updates of the good browsers seem to appear regulary. This may mean aded features, bigs been ironed out, smoother operation - in short, better browsers. Ideally, these changes should be reflected in at least reviews of the different browsers, which in turn may be a part in forming opinions. The question is then: How up to date are the reviewers?
In the online edition of the Indianapolis Star, I read an article dated yesterday about different alternatives to IE, and how it could be nice to try them and make the switch away from IE. A nice, well-informed article that doesn’t try to claim that a browser switch is the end to all problems. However, there were one little detail about one browser, that stated something wrong.
The browser is Opera, the statement was about the banner ads in the free version, and that to get rid f them you’d have to pay $40. This used to be true, but Opera has been completely free without any banner ads for some time now, so an article dated January 22, 2006 should reflect that. On the positive side, those banners were the only negative things said about the browser, so as they’re gone…
Anyway, I mailed the author a friendly (I hope) little correction, but it made me think a bit more about this: How many people base their opinions of the current version of Opera, based on what they know of a previous version, maybe even a much older version? When we see what people write on discussion forums and in comments on blogs, it may be quite a few. This is why I think it should be important that those who write reviews and articles and such are careful not to get anything wrong - there may be a “the newspaper said it, so it must be correct”-effect.
Maybe it will be easier when Opera 9 is released?
Categories: Browsers
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