One feature that we miss, though, is the ability to mark message bodies for download as well as with headers. That minor point aside, Opera's news reader offers solid functionality for newsgroup junkies. In our testing we found this a refreshing change, particularly when we just wanted to hop onto a Web site, grab a piece of information, and get out. This is a very useful feature for those with vision disabilities. And Opera's keyboard-navigation support makes it a godsend for those of us who hate having to use a mouse.
Opera has a few drawbacks.
Currently it does not support Java, although it does support JavaScript. BeOS and Unix versions are on Opera Software's radar but are not yet underway. Opera is definitely worth a download, especially since you can grab a fully functional 90-day trial version from Opera Software's Web site. Once you've seen Opera in action, you'll probably want to keep it on your machine for the times when you truly feel the need for speed. Find out how.