It s easy to see, for example, why Opera 5.0.1 for Windows, written by a pair of Norwegian programmers, has developed such an enthusiastic following. Until you ve experienced how fast this program makes Web pages appear, you re hereby forbidden from complaining about the speed of your Internet connection. But what makes it special is a vast array of unusual and original features that make the Web more useful and less annoying. For example, the program can remember the Web page you last visited, so that your next browsing session picks up where you left off. The program also offers a number of clever, single-key shortcuts that immediately become second nature.
Opera is also among the most customizable browsers.
Unlike the Big Two browsers, Opera lacks the backing of a billion-dollar company. The skins are arranged in 27 categories ranging from Metallic and Anime to Kid Stuff and Horror. Note, however, that although NeoPlanet looks and feels like a self-contained browser, it requires that your machine also have Internet Explorer, whose technology does all the heavy lifting. The snapshots are yours to keep, even when the actual Web page changes or vanishes great for e-commerce order summaries. Whenever you re reading a Web page, iCab quietly begins to download whatever pages are linked to it, in readiness for your next move an extremely considerate gesture that can result in big speed gains.