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Introducing Opera Unite

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 7:15:29 AM

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Today is a really big day for Opera, and I'm proud that I have an opportunity to share it with people via an article I wrote for Opera Labs, the first in a short series to introduce our newest browser innovation--Opera Unite.

Here's the intro:

Taking the Web into our own hands, one computer at a time

My name is Lawrence Eng, and as a Product Analyst for Opera Software, my job is to understand our users and what they need so we can serve them better. Today, I've been asked share my thoughts on Opera Unite, a new Opera technology that I'm extremely excited about. I've been an avid Opera user since 2001 and seen the numerous innovations Opera has introduced to dramatically improve the experience of Web browsing. Of all the new features we've introduced over the years, none of them have filled me with anticipation as much as Opera Unite--a radical first step we've taken to address what I call 'the Internet's unfulfilled promise', which is about our ability to connect with each other and participate meaningfully online.


To read the entire article, please visit: Taking the Web into our own hands, one computer at a time

After (or before) you've read the article, I hope you'll try Opera Unite for yourself by downloading an Opera Unite-enabled build of the browser. Visit http://unite.opera.com/ for more info.

The start of a great monthOpera Unite - Clarifying the Vision

Comments

Mark Stockmstock Tuesday, June 16, 2009 4:26:37 PM

Congratulations on Opera Unite, and the forward thinking that it required. It isn't hard to see that many of the companies that we regularly rely on to serve our personal data do not have our best interests in mind. If this is not clear now, it will be in the future. I hope that Opera Unite will help people understand this new method for data-sharing, and that they will embrace it.

But there is something that I think might prevent that from happening, and that is the following phrases in the EULA:

"We have no duty to pre-screen User Generated Content, but we have the right to refuse to post, edit, or deliver submitted User Generated Content. We reserve the right to remove User Generated Content for any reason... We reserve the right to block any user's access to any content, web site or web page in our sole discretion."

I want my computer to be a first-class citizen of the web, as your excellent essay defines it, but this isn't the way to do it.

Toddgenericmale Wednesday, June 17, 2009 3:08:45 AM

I started using Opera years ago when you had to pay for it. Then I switched to Firefox. I just downloaded Opera Unite and set it up. All I can say is FREAKIN' AMAZING! This is something I would GLADLY pay for again! Working great on Win 7!

Haavardhaavard Wednesday, June 17, 2009 3:29:24 AM

mstock: That's referring to "User Generated Content" hosted on My Opera.

Lawrence EngLawmune Wednesday, June 17, 2009 7:47:54 AM

Yes, terms like those generally refer to specific edge cases which usually involve people putting inappropriate content on Opera's website properties.

A lot of common user questions and concerns are addressed here: http://unite.opera.com/support/

We will work hard to communicate better what our EULA means (and doesn't mean).

All the best,
Lawrence

Mark Stockmstock Wednesday, June 17, 2009 9:28:33 PM

Originally posted by haavard:

That's referring to "User Generated Content" hosted on My Opera.



Please quote the part of the EULA that states that specifically. I cannot find it.

In the EULA that I am looking at, "User Generated Content" does not refer to only content on My Opera, but instead "content and/or links to content stored on your computer, that can be viewed by others." Traced another way, the restrictions are on features of "Services", which includes "Opera Unite", which itself "enables users to share content stored locally on their computer with others".

If the intent is only to control content stored on Opera's servers, why is it not written as such?

I *want* this to succeed, but I won't use it with the current EULA.

Mark Stockmstock Wednesday, June 17, 2009 9:32:38 PM

OK, I see from your blog (haavard) that the EULA (or is it the TOS for My Opera?) has been changed. I should download the RPM again and check it out.

Lawrence EngLawmune Thursday, June 18, 2009 2:54:57 AM

FYI: Haavard's blog post, referenced by mstock above, can be found here - Responding to Unite misconceptions

Yousef Ghandouryousefghandour Tuesday, June 23, 2009 9:05:18 AM

Great idea, i was shocked when i first saw it, it's something new, something different than cloud computing. I can't for now think of the best software that might be build using this technology, but i believe there is a lot. Document and file sharing are better served using hosted services on the cloud something like google docs or zoho docs etc: remotely available, the document and the software processing it are online, available 24/7, sharing with others, versioning support and much more. A mix between the two: cloud and opera unite (Web P2P i call it for short) could be of great value, but again i can't think of a solution that is better served through the browser end than through the cloud.
I've used Opera a long time ago, but wasn't so happy with it's compatibility with some of the software like google docs, but i guess it's better now with some minor downsides. Now, i downloaded Opera again, and really looking forward to see this new model moving forward: Opera might become a platform for such services bigsmile.
I wrote a blog post about Web P2P or Opera Unite, http://blog.yousefgh.com/2009/06/web-p2p-visiting-web-browsing-vs-being.html

Lawrence EngLawmune Thursday, June 25, 2009 1:25:10 AM

@yousefghandour

Thanks for your comments and blog post! I agree that the possibilities are vast, but require some out-of-the-box thinking.

Unregistered user Tuesday, July 14, 2009 4:13:18 AM

mistrz writes: At first look, I browsed through the introduction to unite and lab. I decided that it is exciting enough to try. Version 10 browser is also nice but, no joy. For some reason the unite failed to accept my user and password. No word that it is for paying elite. Trying to find an explanation, I browsed through lab pages. It is madness. Is anybody reading it? Now I do have the inactive unite and opera link on by bottom bar and cannot activate them nor get rid of. Why I want them, other than to try? I hoped that I can find there a better alternative to picasa webalbum. Now the best of all. Or flickr which is kind ok and kind useless. Management of albums is useless. Google blog is nice and simple but is impossible to make sensible page edition that is rearange photo in relation to text. SO it is useless. For those things I hoped to find in opera new gizmos solution. Unfortunately it cannot. Maybe it has something to do with opera v10 beta problem? It fail to access number of websites including google mail. Can anyone explain simply and properly what the page lab say and what is the problem that I cannot even try the new features like unite? No way I am going to pay for service!!! thanks

Lawrence EngLawmune Tuesday, July 14, 2009 8:28:40 PM

For the latest news on Opera Unite, please visit the Opera Unite Blog: http://my.opera.com/unite/blog/

If you have specific questions, you can also use the Opera Unite forum: http://my.opera.com/community/forums/forum.dml?id=15515

Opera Unite is still being developed, and the preview we released was in a special alpha build of Opera. There are surely some bugs to work out. Please report any bugs you find here: https://bugs.opera.com/wizard/

Thanks!

Unregistered user Tuesday, September 22, 2009 11:31:34 PM

Breno Peck writes: Opera Unite is the sole reason I use Opera. It works flawlessly! However, whenever Opera is updated, Unite is gone. It's a pain having to download "Unite Edition" or whatever it's called just to have Unite back on track again. I just hope you guys notice that before the next update.

Unregistered user Wednesday, September 23, 2009 11:04:22 AM

bob writes: OPERA THE BEST :DD

Dunia Berita Terkiniduniaberita Sunday, January 10, 2010 4:32:44 AM

Opera is awesome I like it!

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