Opera announces 'Merlin'
Posted by Steven Parker on 20 September 2005 - 13:15 · 42 comments & 3311 views
Opera is planning on a major overhaul for its desktop browser.

According to a source, Opera will release a new version of its desktop browser, which will contain major modifications to the browser's User Interface (UI). The new version will sport a simpler look.

Merlin is the name of a small falcon, an Ancient, and as Olli mentioned, the code name of the next major release.

XSLT 1.0, WF2, a new IMAP back-end, and some CSS3 Selectors. A new designMode (rich text editing), are some of the new features going in "Oh, there's more, but we can't reveal all our secrets now." One Opera spokesperson said

'Don't worry, we also had to fix a bunch of bugs. So, we made OBJECTs and IFRAMEs respect z-index, improved our margin-collapsing code, fixed problems with width inheritance for positioned elements, and nearly completed support for Acid2. There's way, way more to talk about, but that'll come later."

View: Article @ Opera Watch
News source: Tim's Blog

"Opera fans around the globe made this day possible," said von Tetzchner. "As we grow our userbase, our mission and our promise remain steadfast: we will always offer the best Internet experience to our users - on any device. Today this mission gains new ground."

In contrast, seeing as how Opera made their browser available for a day on their 10th anniversary, some may have seen this move coming. Regardless, Being one of the fastest and the most standard compliant browser, Opera may well have opened a new chapter in the browser wars.

Changelog:

At a Glance
  • Advertisement banner removed
  • Registration options removed
  • Updated end-user license agreement
  • Browser JavaScript fixes broken Web sites on the fly
Changes since 8.02

User Interface
  • Removed advertising banners and all dialogs and menus related to advertising, registration, and license codes.
  • Solved issue with Opera reverting explicit user setting to use program as handler rather than plug-in.
  • Removed support for branded banners.

Security
  • Fixed issue reported in Secunia Advisory 16645: Attachment URLs now used instead of cache URLs for viewing attachments.
  • Fixed drag-and-drop vulnerability allowing unintentional file uploads. Issue reported by mikx.de.
  • Improved handling of must-revalidate cache directive for HTTPS pages.
  • Fixed display issue with cookie comment encoding.

Miscellaneous
  • Included Browser JavaScript by default. On first run after install/upgrade, Opera will fetch a fresh browser.js file and start using it.
  • Multiple stability fixes.
Opera is giving the following to the customers who have paid for the browser:
  • Premium support until opera 9
  • Their money back if they registered in the last 30 days and they want it back (they won't get support)
  • The good feeling that they helped opera reach the point that it could go free

    Thanks to Rapier for contributing to this article.


    • There are 42 additional comments
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    (5 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #1 Posted by HoochieMamma on 20 Sep 2005 - 13:19
    Browser Wars == BEST
    Quote this comment #1.1 Posted by Jugalator on 20 Sep 2005 - 13:22
    Yeah

    Now we have IE 7, Opera 9, and Firefox 2 on the horizon.
    Quote this comment #1.2 Posted by HoochieMamma on 20 Sep 2005 - 13:23
    I CANNOT wait for FireFox 2 or Opera 9.
    Quote this comment #1.3 Posted by Aaronz0rz on 20 Sep 2005 - 15:02
    i wish theyd unite
    All work together for the best possible browser..
    all 3 have their ups and downs
    Quote this comment #1.4 Posted by Fanon on 20 Sep 2005 - 15:16
    That's what competition does, Aaron. It drives the other makers to make the best possible (we hope) browser.
    Quote this comment #1.5 Posted by lare2 on 20 Sep 2005 - 15:18
    Totally agree, also Opera is giving a lot of buzz lately wich is awesome
    (4 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #2 Posted by Jugalator on 20 Sep 2005 - 13:20
    OK, I think I got all acronyms but WF2. Anyone know what that is?

    Hmm, if they go even simpler than the Opera 8 UI, I think they're moving into OS X territory.
    Quote this comment #2.1 Posted by noll3095 on 20 Sep 2005 - 13:32
    I think http://www.xml.com/lpt/a/2005/05/11/deviant.html
    Quote this comment #2.2 Posted by Jugalator on 20 Sep 2005 - 14:10
    Right, that must be it. Thanks
    Quote this comment #2.3 Posted by naap51stang on 20 Sep 2005 - 17:48
    Giving names to projects is common in the manufacturing world.
    Ford called the mid 90's mustang the "fox" platform.
    I'm in the copier/printer business and one of our vendors names
    it's black & white machines in preproduction after rivers, and its
    color machines after mountains. What's funny, is that the USB
    firmware updates still carry some of the naming nomenclature
    from the preproduction stuff.


    Quote this comment #2.4 Posted by Treefrog on 20 Sep 2005 - 18:45
    QUOTE
    Ford called the mid 90's mustang the "fox" platform.


    I know this is totally off topic, but being the rabid car person I am, I couldn't let this go by...

    The Fox platform was not "the mid 90's mustang". It was introduced in '78 with the Fairmont being built on it, and used from '79 to '04 for the Mustang. The Thunderbird and Lincon Continental also used this platform.

    So there ya go. Your dose of useless triva for the day .
    (1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #3 Posted by Mohsin Naqi on 20 Sep 2005 - 13:20
    wow man when is it gonna release !! cant wait
    Quote this comment #3.1 Posted by lare2 on 20 Sep 2005 - 15:19
    Don;t know, but Opera development usually moves fast
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #4 Posted by rIaHc3 on 20 Sep 2005 - 13:29
    This could have something to do with making Opera free.....
    (1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #5 Posted by Rapier on 20 Sep 2005 - 13:38
    I guess today can officially be labeled Opera Day
    Quote this comment #5.1 Posted by lare2 on 20 Sep 2005 - 15:20
    Hell yea, opera is making a lot of noise, psecially today
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #6 Posted by ShiFtedReaLity on 20 Sep 2005 - 13:51
    this is good! two good things in the news today... free opera... now new opera soon woo
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #7 Posted by Danigoldman on 20 Sep 2005 - 13:53
    Here is the real news about Opera:

    http://operawatch.blogspot.com/2005/09/fla...es-ad-free.html
    (4 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #8 Posted by irate on 20 Sep 2005 - 14:22
    Opera is the bestest browser everest. In all honesty, I've used it for a couple of years now almost exclusively, and have gotten so use to how it handles tabs and whatnot that Firefox *seems* cumbersome to me. Such a good browser, and now it's free. How could you go wrong?
    Quote this comment #8.1 Posted by Yogurth on 20 Sep 2005 - 14:29
    You can't
    Quote this comment #8.2 Posted by Caleb on 20 Sep 2005 - 14:36
    It's "best" not "bestest", learn to spell.
    Quote this comment #8.3 Posted by M2Ys4U on 20 Sep 2005 - 16:25
    Caleb, I'm sure it was intetentional. Emphisis doesn't come out in text very well.
    Quote this comment #8.4 Posted by rseiler on 20 Sep 2005 - 23:04
    Not for emphasis, for humor. I'm surprised anyone could miss the reference.
    (2 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #9 Posted by IGx89 on 20 Sep 2005 - 14:38
    QUOTE
    Merlin is the name of (...) an Ancient

    Someone knows their Stargate history
    Quote this comment #9.1 Posted by lare2 on 20 Sep 2005 - 15:21
    lol so true
    Quote this comment #9.2 Posted by Dayon on 21 Sep 2005 - 03:05
    Lies!

    His name was Merdin! Just ask Daniel Jackson....

    QUOTE
    JACKSON: It doesn't say specifically but it…it is signed, by a guy named Merdin.




    And he had a funny hat.
    (1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #10 Posted by N_B on 20 Sep 2005 - 14:53
    Does there exist adblock for opera? If it does, I might convert completely from firefox..
    Quote this comment #10.1 Posted by villiansv on 20 Sep 2005 - 17:41
    There is one, albeit not as advanced. Search google, neowin and my.opera.com/forums for css tricks, javascript tricks and/or filter.ini filtering; or simply read post #13 at http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=374240 for a quick solution.
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #11 Posted by Fanon on 20 Sep 2005 - 15:08
    Support for XSLT 1.0. Does this mean they're adding an XML DOM?
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #12 Posted by PlainLazy on 20 Sep 2005 - 15:19
    Opera sure knows how to give it's users what they want. Good job
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #13 Posted by fekimoki on 20 Sep 2005 - 15:44
    its free nowwwwww
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #14 Posted by soldier1st on 20 Sep 2005 - 18:58
    opera is now free so no more need for a keygen to get rid of the ads.opera rules and since it is free it is awesome.
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #15 Posted by bmc on 20 Sep 2005 - 21:09
    yes it is awesome that opera 8.5 is now free!
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #16 Posted by Alien Spy on 20 Sep 2005 - 21:16
    It will be free until version 9, lol
    (6 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #17 Posted by PharosBR on 20 Sep 2005 - 22:14
    i dont use opera just because i cant use ctrl + enter to finish the URL for me with the www. before and the .com after. Maybe there's a way to do that in Opera?
    Quote this comment #17.1 Posted by rseiler on 20 Sep 2005 - 23:06
    There's no need to, simply hit Enter. For example, type "microsoft" and hit Enter.
    Quote this comment #17.2 Posted by Candido on 21 Sep 2005 - 00:18
    rseiler is correct.....just hit enter and the "www." & ".com" automatically appear.
    Quote this comment #17.3 Posted by nemesis1 on 21 Sep 2005 - 00:29
    even better still:
    prefs -> advanced -> network --> "server name completion"
    and add your own shortcuts
    handy for changing suffix to com,net,org,co.uk or whatever else you want...
    Quote this comment #17.4 Posted by PharosBR on 21 Sep 2005 - 01:33
    well if i hit enter, it takes a while for opera to know its .com
    =[
    by doing that i have to wait so i can get into the website, instead of getting in instantly.
    tried the suggestion above, and still the same problem
    bleh
    Quote this comment #17.5 Posted by Soleen on 21 Sep 2005 - 03:32
    From Opera forum
    QUOTE

    But yes, you can do it. Some people have (diehard IE users I guess).
    Go to Preferences, Mouse and keyboard. Next to the Keyboard Setup box, click Edit. Pick an appropriate section to put it in ...
    If you want to forget Ctrl-Enter for Wand, you could put it in Application. Alternatively, you could keep Wand for most times, and only have your key work in text boxes by putting the key in Advanced/Edit widget. If you're changing the definition in Application, you'll need to highlight the existing definition; if you're defining it in some other context, highlight the context and click New.
    Define the key as follows:
    Enter ctrl Home & Insert, "www." & End & Insert, ".com" & Go
    Nothing to it.
    Quote this comment #17.6 Posted by PharosBR on 21 Sep 2005 - 04:45
    omg Soleen I LOVE YOU

    Thanks everyone for the help, appreciate it
    Quote this comment Reply to this comment #18 Posted by ibear on 21 Sep 2005 - 02:17
    from Opera Watch:
    QUOTE
    Update 4 (9/20 10:04 AM): Well it turns out that the UI changes that I was referring to was that Opera will remove the banner ads for good.
    [1]

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