Opera 7.50 beta 1 released for all desktop platforms

Opera 7.50 beta 1 released for all desktop platforms

See the global announcement for more information.

Please discuss the beta here in the beta testing forum.

We recommend that Mac users use the Mac forum or the opera.mac newsgroup, Linux and Solaris users should use the opera.linux and opera.os.solaris newsgroups respectively, but may also use the Linux/Solaris forums. FreeBSD users can use the FreeBSD forum.

Remember that it's a beta, which means that it is unfinished. The skin is not complete, for example. Other than that, keep the feedback coming

Woohoo :-D

Will there be a changelist available since last preview?

Edit: found it: [url]http://www.opera.com/docs/changelogs/ :-D

The new Image caching improvements is the first thing that Hits you!...Wow..It's blazing fast and there is a marked improvement in speed as compared with the previews...However has the tray icon setting changed so that it displays itself in the tray only when new mail comes??..If So

Originally posted by THAiSi
Woohoo :-D

Will there be a changelist available since last preview?

Edit: found it: [url]http://www.opera.com/docs/changelogs/ :-D

Guess there only changelog since 7.23:
"Changes since Opera 7.23"

I'm assuming b1 is p4?

Originally posted by pedro_s
Guess there only changelog since 7.23:
"Changes since Opera 7.23"

I'm assuming b1 is p4?

no it`s not

it`s beta 1 with new features

you won`t be able to use yor set ups from prior installs

No, B1 is beta 1, while P4 is preview 4. Beta 1 came out after preview 4. Preview ~ alpha, beta = beta.

Beta 1 is 18 builds after preview 4, so a number of changes happened in between. I hope there will be a mini-changelog documenting just those.

Fixed XML stuff

Thanks guys for fixing this bug from p4!

BTW I like the new icons. They are really cool.

Continue in this direction !

Just tried it shortly... first thing I didn't like at all: the new design! Another thing I don't like, is that I couldn't remove the toolbar with the panels on the left totally... and that the hotlist button isn't there anymore... maybe all these things can be configured better... but the design is really not too special, looks like some cheap skin, mainly the strange icons.

Sorry I have to say this, but in my eyes (i am a semi-professional designer), the old opera 7 design was much better! Much clearer and much more outstanding than this new one.

How about saying what you don't like about the new design... ??

Edit: for example, the icons, the layout, the new menu structure, etc..

Originally posted by blackfeather
Another thing I don't like, is that I couldn't remove the toolbar with the panels on the left totally... and that the hotlist button isn't there anymore...

Right click on the panel selector bar, hit Customize toolbar... and go wild.

The Panel button is there, just not enabled by default. You can add it to any toolbar through the same customize interface...

I found a bug, or so I think it is. Prior to 7.5b1, one could create a shortcut to html files on the local drive and view them via the bookmarks, even though they were named as follows:

page name.html

Now, however, since 7.5b1, one must use page_name.html because it does not recognize spaces in an html address. It will display the address as follows: page%20name.html but it will not display the page. Anyone?

I was hoping I could easily follow up newsposts with this release.

In outlook express you just rightclick-mouse on the post and it will track it.
Next time someone replies to it you get a visual clue.

I posted about this and most people bypassed it by filtering on the message-ID which is cumbersome:

[url]http://my.opera.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=47293

Please consider this simple request. Then I can drop outlook express for good.

But for some good points now I think this is the best release of opera yet. I like the new GUI very much.

Some new functions need some more polishing and its perfect (rss & news)

Huzzah on another release, Opera team!

New skin... I'm not a fan, personally. I went and snagged the old Opera 7.5 skin and it works beautifully. In the new skin, though, I noticed there are a number of buttons that don't have the "new look," as it were -- mainly 'print' and 'home.'

Other than that, it seems well-neigh perfect! I can get rid of the panels on the left, SDI is happy... I would say this is one fine release.

RE: getting rid of the panel on the left, for interested parties: View -> Panels -> Panel Placement. First set it to floating, then set it to off, and voila.

Cheers Opera! I have no main complaints so far, hehehe.

Love this release! However, even though I entered my key to register Opera teh dialog box still comes up asking me to run it in ad mode or buy it and get rid of the ad, this has been the same in all the previews too. Also, since Nvidia redesigned their website its really screwed up, wwww.nvidia.com

The top tool bar is shifted over to the left and doesn't even render correctly.

I've noticed, with the key thing, that if you cancel the ad dialogue on the first run, and then enter your reg code, the next time you start, Opera wants to know what your ad preferences are. Just tell it google text ads or whatever and you shouldn't see it anymore.

nVidia rendering bug: confirmed.

lesser toolbar space more webpage view space

Smaller Buttons. Smaller Buttons. Please allow smaller interface buttons for the windows native skin. Windows Native should mean noncandy like buttons. Also is there anyway to minimize the brower take up space to a bare minimum? Like in InternetExplorer you can unlock the toolbars and slide them all inline into just one toolbar. This allows more space for webpage viewing. Also how about autohide menus! thanks.!

[img]http://www.geocities.com/phrentec/ie.gif
[url]http://www.geocities.com/phrentec/ie.html

Ok, here goes the feedback.

General impression - neat. The skin is nice, calm and the New Page button is a terrific idea - it will make new users immidiately aware that they can open new pages inside Opera window, and in a very convinient manner (not by File->New Page as previously).

I have one serious worry though - new users may not know they can switch off the panel selector by clicking left edge of Opera window. It highlights when hovering over these 4 pixels but is that enough to make user aware? Please treat this issue seriously, because if fresh users don't easily find answer how to switch it off, they will most likely abandon Opera 5 minutes after installing it - panel selector takes too much space to live with it turned on. Idea: How about hiding panel selector after single click on free space in it??

Few problems that need working out:
- missing Go button on the right of address bar - it really should come back IMO
- favicons still do not appear properly - look at this page with screenshot and exmples: [url]http://members.lycos.co.uk/favicon/
- scaling of skin is broken - any setting under 70% does not work (size stays on 70%) and even between 70 and 100% size of Panel Selector does not change (only icons on it)
- personal bar and panel selector is not optimized well - wastes much space - there is way too much unnecessary pixels around items on them (panel selector is much wider than items on it themselves; personal bar is too high, items are too far from each other on it). Also default size of panel selector should be *a bit* smaller - it's really huuge now, almost frightening
- it would be lovely if "Suppress external embeds" button would be available for drag&drop in Customize Toolbars (Mail section) window, I really need to have this notification upfront, as I turn it on/off frequently and it happens I forget to switch it on and step on a spam message which exposes me on a danger of web bug, which can confirm spammer I read the message :-/

And don't forget to fix these nasty rendering bugs:
[url]http://quiris.klub.chip.pl/

And also, please reimplement the tiny but useful option that existed in O6 - "Open Transfers Window in background":
[url]http://my.opera.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21456

i like it... the thing i dont like is the new colours... it seems a bit more "teletubbies" than the last one.. plz change the colours on the arrows from blue green blue orange/red and such back... dont like it.. just dont like those colours.. reminds me of standard xp..

Smaller Buttons. Smaller Buttons. Please allow smaller interface buttons for the windows native skin. Windows Native should mean noncandy like buttons. Also is there anyway to minimize the brower take up space to a bare minimum? Like in InternetExplorer you can unlock the toolbars and slide them all inline into just one toolbar. This allows more space for webpage viewing. Also how about autohide menus! thanks.!

You've just mentioned one of my biggest Opera pet peeves, and, due to 7.5, it's been totally fixed. Opera 7.5 rocks harder than any previous opera browser, hands down.

How's this for minimal workspace/maximal browser space? I can't seem to figure out a way to get the bars in the same line as the file/edit bar, and I enable the status bar, but you have that at the bottom in IE. It's pretty close, though.

Also note I'm using the old 7.5 skin; I assure this is b1, though.

[url]http://kirby.colorado.edu/jrr/images/opera/75b1/tinyopera.png

O7.5b1 such as 7.23 (and most likely all in the middle) does not allow to scroll to the end of the page like the one in the attachement to this post - vertical scrollbar "finishes" too early.
Sorry that I report it so lately.. It's not reported to BTS, so if it's unknown and I should report it, please let me know.
Open attachement and scroll down to see the problem.

too-early-end-of-page.zip

Originally posted by Fake
just dont like those colours.. reminds me of standard xp..

Maybe it's exactly how it was ment to be? Fresh users of Opera won't get shocked by totally different look of its interface than the interface of the browser they used so far! I definitely like this from this reason. Very good idea from marketing/psychological point of view.

Originally posted by Val_Parthen
I can't seem to figure out a way to get the bars in the same line as the file/edit bar, and I enable the status bar,

Yeah, it would ROCK to be able to put at least status bar (or best any buttons of course) in the main menu line, on the right from Help.

Originally posted by Nasty
Yeah, it would ROCK to be able to put at least status bar in the main menu line, on the right from Help.

Y'know, I didn't even /think/ about it being there even; I was thinking more to phrentEC's image of IE -- but you're TOTALLY right, that would be the BEST thing ever -- have the menus left aligned, and the status bar right aligned, and would go to elipses if it gets within what, 20 pixels? of the menus... (whatever the set width is between menu items, doubled would be a good width). wow. Haavard, there's a suggestion for you guys.

Nasty: Good call.

Originally posted by Nasty
Fresh users of Opera won't get shocked by totally different look of its interface than the interface of the browser they used so far! I definitely like this from this reason. Very good idea from marketing/psychological point of view.

As much as I don't like to agree with you ( ), this is fairly decent reasoning. Opera skin can be full of screaming monkeys, dancing butterflies, be red on yellow, or have icons the size of Russian clocks, if that is what it takes to bring the masses to start using it, or keep using it after download.

IE7 may have two buttons, each 20% of screen space. We entered the 21st century, and have to meet the masses' demands...

In the year 2050, Opera 66.6 will have just one bigaß button on default install and everyone will be using it! Just prove me wrong

M.

Originally posted by Val_Parthen
Nasty: Good call.

so should we treat this as the previous? unistall previews and start over with a fresh install of beta 1?

Yes.

M.

BEST METHOD FOR INSTALLATION: (Win2k & XP flavor)

NOTE: THIS WILL ERASE ALL SETTINGS YOU MAY HAVE, so do something different if you don't want that -- I can reset Opera to be how I want it in just a minute or two, so it's no biggie for me.

Copy Opera6.adr & Opera6.adr.bak from c:\documents and settings\[username]\application data\opera\profile to somewhere else.

Uninstall Opera via add/remove programs.

Delete the folder c:\documents and settings\[username]\application data\opera
Deleve the folder c:\program files\opera75

install new version

Set up Opera how you want it.

Copy Opera6.adr & Opera6.adr.bak back to c:\documents and settings\[username]\application data\opera\profile.

ta-dah.

yeah i don't know. i think i'm going to hold off for a while. i love opera, but i don't want to go through all that rebuilding process again. i've got a lot of custom buttons and it's just a pain going back in and having to redo everything. i just tried went through this with preview 4, so it's too soon. i'll give it a little before i go beta 1.

Bad icons, but worst that no way to change or bring back oldone

i installed on slackware and this delete my settings :///

Originally posted by ruslan
Bad icons, but worst that no way to change or bring back oldone

bringing back the old ones is easy -- just go here: [url]http://kirby.colorado.edu/jrr/stuff/75p4_standard_skin.zip and put that file in your c:\program files\opera75\skins folder, then open up Opera, click view -> 75p4 standard skin, and voila.

I love the new skin. It is modern, bright, clean and most of all very easy to read and use. Great job Opera team!

And for you who do not like the new skin you can change it back to whatever you used to like before. There are hundreds of others to download and test too.

And remeber to fix this very serious bug with textarea on xhtml+xml pages (bug introduced in preview 4) - all details and testcase here: [url]http://my.opera.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=50551
Bug No. 140344

Just in case.

I don't like the new skin. I'll have to make my own in 7.23 style if I'm going to use 7.5x...

But what is worse, the context-sensitive fast forward button seems to be gone! Very bad idea.
I liked how it was normal forward button if there were no links ff could follow, and showed the ff one if there were. Now you're telling me I have to keep both buttons in the bar, visible, to get that info?! Talk about redundant... Please fix this before final!

Smooth scrolling still doesn't work when scrolling horizontally. Buggy scrolling with large text files.

Originally posted by Val_Parthen
bringing back the old ones is easy -- just go here: [url]http://kirby.colorado.edu/jrr/stuff/75p4_standard_skin.zip and put that file in your c:\program files\opera75\skins folder, then open up Opera, click view -> 75p4 standard skin, and voila.

Thanks! I'll try it for these new Disney-Windows (aka XP) icons really irk me.

On the similar note - Opera, please remove the eye in the zoom drop-down box - it takes space and it stares....

Originally posted by Nasty
Ok, here goes the feedback.

I have one serious worry though - new users may not know they can switch off the panel selector by clicking left edge of Opera window. It highlights when hovering over these 4 pixels but is that enough to make user aware? Please treat this issue seriously, because if fresh users don't easily find answer how to switch it off, they will most likely abandon Opera 5 minutes after installing it - panel selector takes too much space to live with it turned on. Idea: How about hiding panel selector after single click on free space in it??

Nasty is 100% right about this point. There needs to be a better way of switching off or hiding the panel selector and not only for new users. Hitting that thin right edge is difficult and finicky. At the very least a bigger target is required. And if you think it’s hard, try hitting it on a multi-monitor setup! The mouse scrawls off the side onto the next screen so you have to take careful aim to hit those 4 pixels.

My other criticism is that on the default skin, it is not very easy to see which tab is the active one. With the previous default skin, there was a very big difference in colour and by using depth, the active tab seemed to be more forward than the inactive tabs. The difference between the active and inactive tab(s) with the default skin is not not sufficiently clear in my opinion.

Other than that, the whole thing is quite wonderful

By and large I really like the new buttons. That is apart from the eye and the face icon for the contacts. All the other icons seem to be graphical and abstract where as those two are somehow more realistic and illustrative. They don’t really match the feel of the other icons.

My guess is that if you have a large enough screen, or can afford a multi-monitor setup, then your resolution is so high the panel selector wont' make a difference anyway.

Originally posted by TennesseeStiff
Hitting that thin right edge is difficult and finicky. At the very least a bigger target is required.

Screen edge has infinite depth, you simply can't miss it. Slowing down is an unnecessary habit learned due to bad ideas in user interfaces; just look at windows task bar, there's space underneath program tabs where you can't select them! That space should be covered by the bottoms of the tabs to make those targets as big as possible (read: infinite in depth).

Heads up, UI designers: Read up on Fitts's Law.

Originally posted by TennesseeStiff
And if you think it’s hard, try hitting it on a multi-monitor setup! The mouse scrawls off the side onto the next screen so you have to take careful aim to hit those 4 pixels.

This is a valid point however. If the screen edge isn't a real edge, the target becomes only a few pixels wide. Also, a new user might not know about that selector at all, and being visually thin it can go unnoticed.

How about mail import from Opera 7?
There is only an option to import mail from opera 5/6...

Originally posted by TennesseeStiff
Nasty is 100% right about this point. There needs to be a better way of switching off or hiding the panel selector and not only for new users. Hitting that thin right edge is difficult and finicky.

I didn't mean that it's not comfortable in use. It is, a lot! You just move to the right edge and click it - as Jokoto said, it's properly designed so you can easily hit it even with your eyes closed.
But to use it, you have to notice it first, which is not at all easy. This is what I ment.

My idea for some improvement is to make clickable also the unused area on panel selector - it would much increase chances that user will hover over it, the panel selector empty space will change color like the "panel toggle" does when hovering over it and user will notice that it's clickable so will try it out.
Besides, it's more area to click on, so it's even more comfortable not have to go a few pixel left more.
Hm.. but OTOH - if someone starts using the unused space on panel selector he can less likely find the intended, most comfortable method - that he can just go to the most left and hit there.

The new B1 release is working wonderfully on my home W/98 PC and I'll be adding it to my W/2000 SP4 and XP SP2 RC1 boxes later ...

Dang! Just upgraded to P4 4 days ago and got all my settings right...now an upgrade! Good news for sure, but wish I had waited on doing the P4 update.

hint, i and many others still use a resolution of 800x600 frequently.

Can anyone post up the Opera7.23 windows native skin? thanks.

Well, that was quick. I'm all upgraded with the exception of my Wand and newsgroup subscriptions...where are those items hidden?

The new Opera standard skin is great !!!

bye
MadGhigno

Originally posted by Pocket_PC_Addict
Well, that was quick. I'm all upgraded with the exception of my Wand and newsgroup subscriptions...where are those items hidden?

OPERA/Profile folder

[url]http://www.opera.com/support/search/supsearch.dml?index=313

Originally posted by phrentEC
hint, i and many others still use a resolution of 800x600 frequently.

Can anyone post up the Opera7.23 windows native skin? thanks.

sure here you go

windows_skin.zip

Hey thanks jhobo4... worked great!

About the panel selector: Just put a small square button with an "X" at the top-right corner. Click it to close. Problem solved. (And perhaps pop up a tooltip informing the user to click the edge of the screen to get it back.)