Why I've switched to Opera

Fri Feb 18 16:53:43 UTC 2011

On Fri, Feb 18, 2011 at 11:48 AM, Thomas Milne
<tbrucemilne-TcoXwbchSccMMYnvST3LeUB+6BGkLq7r at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> On Fri, Feb 18, 2011 at 12:13 AM, Walter Dnes <waltdnes-SLHPyeZ9y/tg9hUCZPvPmw at public.gmane.org> wrote:
>>  There was an article on Slashdot a day or so ago about yet more
>> cra^H^H^H "features" that the Mozilla people will be stuffing into
>> Firefox.  Arrrrrgh.
>>
>>  The final straw came when setting up my notebook.  This is a
>> relatively new laptop, with just 64-bit Gentoo linux, X, and a few apps
>> installed.  Gentoo generally downloads source tarballs, except for a few
>> binaries.  Here's what I get when doing "emerge -pv" (a "pretend"
>> install in verbose mode) with *MINIMAL* dependancies for each of the
>> browsers...
>>
>> Opera Total: 5 packages: 12,154 kB
>> Firefox Total: 19 packages: 114,170 kB
>> Chromium Total: 37 packages: 229,649 kB
>>
>>  No, the Opera download number is *NOT* missing a digit <G>.  See below
>> for the gory details.
>>
>> [aa1][root][~] emerge -pv opera
>> These are the packages that would be merged, in order:
>>
>> Calculating dependencies... done!
>> [ebuild N ] dev-util/gperf-3.0.4 961 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-libs/libXcursor-1.1.11 USE="-static-libs" 267 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-libs/xcb-util-0.3.6 USE="-debug -test" 287 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-libs/libXcomposite-0.4.3 USE="-doc -static-libs" 241 kB
>> [ebuild N ] www-client/opera-11.01.1190 USE="-gstreamer -gtk -kde" LINGUAS="-be -bg -cs -da -de -el -en_GB -es_ES -es_LA -et -fi -fr -fr_CA -fy -hi -hr -hu -id -it -ja -ka -ko -lt -mk -nb -nl -nn -pl -pt -pt_BR -ro -ru -sk -sr -sv -ta -te -tr -uk -vi -zh_CN -zh_HK -zh_TW" 10,399 kB
>>
>> Total: 5 packages (5 new), Size of downloads: 12,154 kB
>>
>> [aa1][root][~] emerge -pv firefox
>> These are the packages that would be merged, in order:
>>
>> Calculating dependencies... done!
>> [ebuild N ] dev-libs/nspr-4.8.6 USE="-debug" 1,175 kB
>> [ebuild NS ] sys-devel/autoconf-2.13 [2.65-r1] 434 kB
>> [ebuild N ] app-arch/zip-3.0 USE="-bzip2 -crypt -unicode" 1,258 kB
>> [ebuild N ] dev-libs/libIDL-0.8.14 USE="-debug" 418 kB
>> [ebuild N ] dev-libs/libevent-1.4.14b 464 kB
>> [ebuild N ] app-dicts/myspell-en-20081002 6,881 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-libs/libXcursor-1.1.11 USE="-static-libs" 267 kB
>> [ebuild N ] dev-libs/atk-1.30.0 USE="-doc (-introspection)" 729 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-misc/shared-mime-info-0.80 568 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-libs/libXcomposite-0.4.3 USE="-doc -static-libs" 241 kB
>> [ebuild N ] app-vim/gtk-syntax-20091024 145 kB
>> [ebuild N ] dev-db/sqlite-3.7.2 USE="-debug -doc -extensions -fts3 -icu -readline -secure-delete -soundex -tcl -test -threadsafe -unlock-notify" 1,464 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-libs/cairo-1.10.2-r1 USE="X opengl svg (-aqua) -debug -directfb -doc (-drm) (-gallium) (-openvg) -qt4 -static-libs -xcb" 23,007 kB
>> [ebuild N ] dev-libs/nss-3.12.8 USE="-utils" 5,813 kB
>> [ebuild N ] app-text/hunspell-1.2.11 USE="-ncurses -nls -readline" LINGUAS="-af -bg -ca -cs -cy -da -de -el -en -eo -es -et -fo -fr -ga -gl -he -hr -hu -id -it -ku -lt -lv -mk -ms -nb -nl -nn -pl -pt -ro -ru -sk -sl -sv -sw -tn -uk -zu" 905 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-libs/pango-1.28.3 USE="X -debug -doc (-introspection) -test" 1,475 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-libs/gtk+-2.20.1-r1 USE="jpeg tiff vim-syntax (-aqua) -cups -debug -doc (-introspection) -jpeg2k -test -xinerama" 18,642 kB
>> [ebuild N ] net-libs/xulrunner-1.9.2.13 USE="-alsa -custom-optimization -dbus -debug -gnome -ipc -java -libnotify -startup-notification -system-sqlite -wifi" 50,288 kB
>> [ebuild N ] www-client/firefox-3.6.13 USE="-alsa -bindist -custom-optimization -dbus -gnome -ipc -java -libnotify -startup-notification -system-sqlite -wifi" LINGUAS="-af -ar -as -be -bg -bn -bn_BD -bn_IN -ca -cs -cy -da -de -el -en -en_GB -en_US -eo -es -es_AR -es_CL -es_ES -es_MX -et -eu -fa -fi -fr -fy -fy_NL -ga -ga_IE -gl -gu -gu_IN -he -hi -hi_IN -hr -hu -id -is -it -ja -ka -kk -kn -ko -ku -lt -lv -mk -ml -mr -nb -nb_NO -nl -nn -nn_NO -oc -or -pa -pa_IN -pl -pt -pt_BR -pt_PT -rm -ro -ru -si -sk -sl -sq -sr -sv -sv_SE -ta -ta_LK -te -th -tr -uk -vi -zh_CN -zh_TW" 6 kB
>>
>> Total: 19 packages (18 new, 1 in new slot), Size of downloads: 114,170 kB
>>
>> [aa1][root][~] emerge -pv www-client/chromium
>> These are the packages that would be merged, in order:
>>
>> Calculating dependencies... done!
>> [ebuild N ] dev-util/gperf-3.0.4 961 kB
>> [ebuild N ] dev-libs/icu-4.6 USE="-debug -doc -examples -static-libs" 15,180 kB
>> [ebuild N ] dev-libs/nspr-4.8.6 USE="-debug" 1,175 kB
>> [ebuild N ] dev-perl/XML-NamespaceSupport-1.11 51 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-misc/shared-mime-info-0.80 568 kB
>> [ebuild N ] dev-libs/libevent-1.4.14b 464 kB
>> [ebuild N ] dev-util/chromium-tools-0.1.6 USE="-subversion" 3 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-libs/libXtst-1.2.0 USE="-doc -static-libs" 276 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-libs/libXScrnSaver-1.2.1 USE="-static-libs" 263 kB
>> [ebuild N ] media-libs/libvpx-0.9.5 USE="mmx sse sse2 threads (-altivec) -debug -doc -postproc -sse3 -ssse3" 1,222 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-apps/xprop-1.2.0 126 kB
>> [ebuild N ] dev-util/desktop-file-utils-0.17 USE="-emacs" 274 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-libs/libXxf86misc-1.0.3 USE="-static-libs" 250 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-proto/fontcacheproto-0.1.3 83 kB
>> [ebuild N ] sys-apps/dbus-1.4.1 USE="X -debug -doc (-selinux) -static-libs -test" 1,807 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-libs/libXcursor-1.1.11 USE="-static-libs" 267 kB
>> [ebuild N ] dev-libs/atk-1.30.0 USE="-doc (-introspection)" 729 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-libs/libXcomposite-0.4.3 USE="-doc -static-libs" 241 kB
>> [ebuild N ] app-vim/gtk-syntax-20091024 145 kB
>> [ebuild N ] dev-db/sqlite-3.7.2 USE="-debug -doc -extensions -fts3 -icu -readline -secure-delete -soundex -tcl -test -threadsafe -unlock-notify" 1,464 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-themes/hicolor-icon-theme-0.12 38 kB
>> [ebuild N ] perl-core/Storable-2.20 174 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-libs/cairo-1.10.2-r1 USE="X opengl svg (-aqua) -debug -directfb -doc (-drm) (-gallium) (-openvg) -qt4 -static-libs -xcb" 23,007 kB
>> [ebuild N ] dev-perl/XML-SAX-0.16 59 kB
>> [ebuild N ] dev-libs/nss-3.12.8 USE="-utils" 5,813 kB
>> [ebuild N ] dev-libs/dbus-glib-0.88 USE="-bash-completion -debug -doc -static-libs -test" 673 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-libs/libXfontcache-1.0.5 USE="-debug" 235 kB
>> [ebuild N ] virtual/perl-Storable-2.20 0 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-apps/xset-1.2.1 122 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-libs/pango-1.28.3 USE="X -debug -doc (-introspection) -test" 1,475 kB
>> [ebuild N ] dev-perl/XML-LibXML-1.70 332 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-libs/gtk+-2.20.1-r1 USE="jpeg tiff vim-syntax (-aqua) -cups -debug -doc (-introspection) -jpeg2k -test -xinerama" 18,642 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-misc/xdg-utils-1.0.2_p20100618 USE="-doc" 298 kB
>> [ebuild N ] dev-perl/XML-Simple-2.18 70 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-misc/icon-naming-utils-0.8.90 69 kB
>> [ebuild N ] x11-themes/gnome-icon-theme-2.30.3 15,610 kB
>> [ebuild N ] www-client/chromium-9.0.597.94 USE="-cups -gecko-mediaplayer -gnome -gnome-keyring -system-sqlite (-system-v8)" 137,501 kB
>>
>> Total: 37 packages (37 new), Size of downloads: 229,649 kB
>>
>
> Firefox is bloated. Not news.
>
> Chromium includes a lot of extras, if I'm not mistaken, including the
> Flash player and .. a PDF viewer built in ... I think. In any case, on
> my ancient P4 it has no problems whatsoever.

Oh, and support for the new WebGL, very cool idea :-)

> Anyway, my first concern with applications is not how small they are,
> but how good the experience is and how useful they are. I've tried
> Opera, but there was nothing compelling.
>
>
> --
> TBM
>


-- 
TBM
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