phees' dissections

While Opera calls the beta version 10.50, the feeling is that of a major release.

The User Interface is slick and slender and fits perfect to the current trend to reduce overhead screen space. While this is an assett for any user, it addresses especially owners of netbooks. Windows 7 and Vista users will like the neat integration into their OS, using transparency effects similar to Google's Chrome browser.

But the Opera developers take it a step further and do not reduce any functionality, instead they top up the features with the improved JavaScript engine "Carakan". The engine is not only much faster (according to heise, using the Sunspider benchmark it is 11 times faster than the current stable's v10.10 release), it finally overtakes Firefox and Chrome, needing nearly 1.5 times as long.

New is also that JavaScript alerts, HTTP notifications and password manager pop-ups are now handled as part of the regarding tab. It is possible now to keep browsing in a different tab, while another is showing a message pop-up.

But Opera's JavaScript is not the only feature receiving a whole new engine. With the new vector graphics library "Vega", graphics, transitions, scrolling and all other animations are made smoother, more scalable.

A Linux version is currently not available, but the first impressions on windows systems are good. Speed, always one of Opera's big advantages, is now taken to a different level. Launching Opera on a windows 7 test system took 3 seconds, while FireFox needs 6 seconds.

Opera 10.50 is a definite beta. Some features are not fully imlemented yet, but the general experience makes hungry for more.

As always, the beta can be installed parallel to a stable release of Opera to allow testing.

Edit 14.2.2010:

While using the 10.50, a crash could be reproduced: While using the web management console of a Synology DS-209, Opera always crashed after some minutes.

The Serendipity blog engine is up-to-date now, with v1.5.2

It was a long time with a lot of silence. Now I quickly want to share a little gem I found:

Orbiter is being actively developed. The new version has been called Orbiter 2009 until now, but it is being updated to 2010. First screenshot can be seen here.

If you never heard of it: Orbiter is a realtime space flight simulation, created by Martin Schweiger with a definite focus on realism. It is highly extensible, there are hundreds of plugins and add-ons available.

The space ships are sporting a virtual "glass cockpit" or come with 2D and sometimes 3D cockpits.
One famous space ship is the DeltaGlider IV. Check out the author's Gallery for some beautiful picturers. I will be posting some more updates and infos, but for now: I am back :)