As posted on the Opera Forums, since I’m an ihuga Opera-user that wants an even better surfing experience, with some stuff a clever guy posted.
Speed dial
The concept of the Speed Dial as it is right now is a clever one, and I’m all for it, I’m just of the impression that it needs another push. What I would like to see for it is the ability to customize the windows inside it, make the windows bigger so we could see snapshots of our favourite pages inside it, and be able to see details. Setting three of the windows to take 40% of the window would be a massive plus in my book.
Allowing Widgets, and probably more important, transfers, to display in there, as well as a snapshot of RSS and Email would be immensely cool too. Although that needs an opt-out, since it could get a bit heavy for some.
The Speed Dial has serious potential in any case, as long as it gets fleshed out with features that’re entirely customizable.
Scripts
I’ve been a long-time user of Opera, picked up the ad-supported immediately when it came out since I had tested some trial-version before that, unless I remember completely wrong. In all these years when I’ve been a user I’ve hardly ever bothered to check out the documentation on your websites, and even when then I merely skimmed through it. Too much to read, when basic exploring covers alot more ground alot faster. Even while skimming I’ve completely missed the genius that is Scripts, completely. Why isn’t there an official directory of Scripts somewhere where we can browse through the most brilliant ones, like the “Kill-script” where I can kill some hovering ad on a website. Why hasn’t there been a mention of it officially, or did I miss that completely?
I really hope you flesh out the scripts-service, since the little I’ve seen of it has changed my Opera-use considerably <3
Sidebar
Just a simple request: Please make it possible to have two categories, or more, open at the same time? I switch continuously between Email and Transfers, and having them both open at the same time over and under each other would make me a happy bugger.
Would also be cool if there was text-wrapping for the text in the sidebar under Transfers, Email and RSS?
Gmail/Gcalendar/Google Services
Some form of simplified integration of these? Even in the form of Speed Dial would make it awesome. You could make more Google-cash, and Google could make more ad-cash, while we users do less clicking. Win/Win/Win.
Theme
Since people are schmucks for things that they know, and hate unknown territory, please make an option on first install (or all installs?) where you can choose between different default themes where you ask them if they would like the browser to look like ->
Firefox
- Internet Explorer (with different versions? I know people that uninstall the latest because they think the older is better even)
- Safari
- Opera Full/Default
- Opera Light (with minimal clutter for the minimalists :D)
- Leave as is (for fresh install or something?)/Cancel
While I know alot of people want to make a ruckus about Opera not being IE, FF, or whatever, I need to point out that most people don’t give a flying about that, and wants stuff that is as similar as possible to what they’re used to, and then move on from there. Weird Boy Joe thinks IE is the awesomesauce because that’s what he’s used to, and he refuses to muck around with some alien concept from some weird place called Norway :p
From dark rabbit on the Opera Forums
6. Reorganize the preferences dialog for clarity.
Everything is there to customize Opera but it’s not easy to find, even if you know what you’re looking for. There is no need for it to be that complicated. And certain features don’t seem to be customizable like the order of search engines on the drop down menu in the search bar. I’m a power user and I have no clue how to do that or if it can be done.7. Add a side panel help for mouse gestures
The side panel is underutilized for help documentation. See Firefox’s mouse gestures side bar. One of the many things that can be easily explained in an unobtrusive place for the Opera newbie. Also useful for the above mentioned preferences dialog.
Now, if they adopt even one of those points (preferably the Speed Dial one) I’ll be one seriously happy bugger.
Actually, having a user interface too similar to another’s causes the opposite effect – people expect things to work identically, and either get confused, or miss out on the most effective ways to use the features.
Similarly with themes – a starting user won’t have a clue which theme to pick, or know what they’re missing.
That’s a very good point, but I’m only in partial agreement. While there are those who will expect the exact same function, this instance barely applies due to two reasons:
The functions indicated in the UI are practically identical, so therefore there’s little else to expect than what they expect.
And in the cases where people will be expecting a similar/identical function but aren’t getting it, I expect most people to look around a bit more for the desired function, or simply dump it due to any lack of the desired function.
In both cases the look of the thing, unless completely retarded/radically differing functions/impossible to find, will probably not have any impact beyond the initial reaction and desire for something familiar.