The minority browser's 10th anniversary finds founders optimistic, especially regarding mobile apps.When midnight rolled around at Opera's 10th anniversary party on Monday, the company's chief technology officer, Hakon Wium Lie, challenged chief executive Jon von Tetzchner to make a splash in honor of the browser. He meant it literally.
"We were all on a party boat in the fjord, and Jon jumped in because of the dare," said Opera spokesperson Tor Odland. "Then, of course, Hakon jumped in, too. Then all the other employees followed them."
In a much less literal sense, Opera Software ASA, based in Oslo, Norway, invited the world to leap into the fjord Tuesday, with a virtual party that offered live chats with von Tetzchner and Hakon, as well as free downloads of Opera 8, normally available for $39 per license.
Because of the party's popularity, it was extended an extra 12 hours so more people could get the browser, download music made by Opera employees or even create greeting cards for Opera developers.
Opera commands a small market share in comparison to its fellows—less than 1 percent in the United States, according to marketing firm WebSideStory Inc.—but it has a loyal following, Odland said.
The number of free downloads has yet to be tallied, but it will be in the millions, he said.
Click here to read a review of the latest Opera browser.
For some party participants, virtual attendance didn't come as a result of wanting Opera 8 for free, since they already had it. They came, some said, merely to celebrate their favorite browser.
"I can't compare Opera to Firefox, because I downloaded Opera years ago and I've never looked back," said security expert Bruce Schneier, author of "Applied Cryptography."
"It's a great, powerful browser, and I don't need to look around for an alternative," Schneier said.
Last year, Opera heard that Schneier used its browser and invited him to Norway to speak about security at the company's developer conference. After Schneier arrived, he was treated to a wealth of Norwegian foodstuffs, and a very eager audience.
"They're just a really good group of guys," he said. "And it was amazing to talk to the people who create something I use every day. It's like talking to the guy who built your car."
Some Web developers have also become devoted to the browser, such as Timothy Luoma, who frequently writes about his love of Opera on his Weblog.
Read the full story on eweek.com: Users Sing About Opera, and Swim, Too
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