That means Opera can open up the Web to families that want to use an aging computer for the kids. It's easy to customize - you can hide extra menus, scroll bars, and the like. Opera's very simple e-mail functions are limited and some may find that a drawback. The download takes less than 15 minutes and Opera installs in a few easy steps. It's currently available only for computers using the Microsoft Windows operating system.
Less code means memory is used more efficiently.
Skeptics argue the result was largely due to the page's Java stock ticker, which tends to be slow in loading. As audio and video proliferate on the Web, Opera's spartan accommodations may begin to seem less like an advantage and more like an unreasonable sacrifice. Opera officials promise better multimedia functions in an upcoming release due out this summer. But the company doesn't pretend its product will become an ideal tool for sampling the Web's more exotic fare. In other words, it's fast, not fancy.