Comments on: Opera Unite — should be “Untie”?

By: vic

vic — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:40:00 +0000

Opera Unite is not that slow if you validated your MyOpera account.

By: vic

vic — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:40:00 +0000

Opera Unite is not that slow if you validated your MyOpera account.

By: Chip

Chip — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:08:00 +0000

I think you've stumbled on the primary flaw in this whole idea. Peer to peer sharing means that each side can be the weakest link. You're probably being dragged down by your friend's speed. In the traditional model that places a server in between, the only things you have to rely on are the server's availability and the speed of your link to that server. Both are usually much better than you can expect from a peer.

By: Chip

Chip — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:08:00 +0000

I think you’ve stumbled on the primary flaw in this whole idea. Peer to peer sharing means that each side can be the weakest link. You’re probably being dragged down by your friend’s speed. In the traditional model that places a server in between, the only things you have to rely on are the server’s availability and the speed of your link to that server. Both are usually much better than you can expect from a peer.

By: monika

monika — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:29:00 +0000

I am not a geek nor do I know much about this "reinventing the web" business. I found this article because I searched for "why is Opera Unite so slow".

While it didn't help me find a way to make this faster, at least I know it's not "my fault" that this is driving me crazy.

I'm trying to download a file from a friend's machine and the fastest download speed I can get is 7 KB/s. Ridiculous. Downloading from anywhere else on my connection is more than 10x as fast and I'm just using the bottom of the line home internet solution.

Ok I just had to vent. It's no fun seeing estimated download time in DAYS rather than hours.

By: monika

monika — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:29:00 +0000

I am not a geek nor do I know much about this “reinventing the web” business. I found this article because I searched for “why is Opera Unite so slow”.
While it didn’t help me find a way to make this faster, at least I know it’s not “my fault” that this is driving me crazy.

I’m trying to download a file from a friend’s machine and the fastest download speed I can get is 7 KB/s. Ridiculous. Downloading from anywhere else on my connection is more than 10x as fast and I’m just using the bottom of the line home internet solution.

Ok I just had to vent. It’s no fun seeing estimated download time in DAYS rather than hours.

By: Chip

Chip — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 17:14:00 +0000

Good observation. It seems like the folks at Opera believe they are empowering users by freeing them of their dependence on online services, but they're doing that at the price of loading up the client. I think the goal of democratizing the web is a good one, but I think it will be achieved by making server resources more generally available and accessible, rather than by making the client heavier.

By: Chip

Chip — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 17:14:00 +0000

Good observation. It seems like the folks at Opera believe they are empowering users by freeing them of their dependence on online services, but they’re doing that at the price of loading up the client. I think the goal of democratizing the web is a good one, but I think it will be achieved by making server resources more generally available and accessible, rather than by making the client heavier.

By: donquixote

donquixote — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 16:40:00 +0000

I tried it myself, but soon later someone pointed me to HFS ("Http File Server"), which is a simple solution for file sharing from your home computer.

HFS does not provide a gallery with thumbnails, it has no chat, etc. But it feels less awkward than the current implementation of Opera Unite.

All that Opera Unite has to offer, could as well be achieved with standalone applications like HFS, which just have to be found (if they exist) or coded (if not). There is no need to make this thing part of my web browser, and there is no need for a big Opera label, there is no need to make it all rely on one central infrastructure tool.

Opera devs are so used to building a swiss army knife, that apparently they can't imagine to build a piece of software that is not part of the Opera browser.

By: donquixote

donquixote — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 16:40:00 +0000

I tried it myself, but soon later someone pointed me to HFS (“Http File Server”), which is a simple solution for file sharing from your home computer.

HFS does not provide a gallery with thumbnails, it has no chat, etc. But it feels less awkward than the current implementation of Opera Unite.

Opera devs are so used to building a swiss army knife, that apparently they can’t imagine to build a piece of software that is not part of the Opera browser.

By: Sampi

Sampi — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 06:12:00 +0000

OK. Security issues aside…

Was Opera Unite at all like we expected? Not at all. If it was something worthwhile, I would've changed from Firefox. The new "features" don't convince me at all and I see no special or innovative ideas.

"Reinventing the web" is a good advertising slogan but actually reinventing the web is a completely different matter.

Don't get me wrong, Opera is a good browser but I knew for the start that this hype would amount to nothing.

By: Sampi

Sampi — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 06:12:00 +0000

OK. Security issues aside…
Was Opera Unite at all like we expected? Not at all. If it was something worthwhile, I would’ve changed from Firefox. The new “features” don’t convince me at all and I see no special or innovative ideas.

“Reinventing the web” is a good advertising slogan but actually reinventing the web is a completely different matter.

Don’t get me wrong, Opera is a good browser but I knew for the start that this hype would amount to nothing.