Even the folks at Internet Web Guide made a big deal out of the release of Internet Explorer 5.5 last month. That means that Opera can load a lot faster than it's two bully cousins but that is not the only place where Opera wins the speed race.
Pages seem to pop up more quickly than they do in the other browsers.
There are two versions, one with Java and one without. Download an evaluation version for yourself. Some folks think so and are willing to pay for what they believe to be a superior product. Not only can you find out what is going on in your neck of the woods, but this is a handy tool to use when you are away from home as well and want to find out what is going on around you. To get it back, just hit the same key combination again.