·:[ E-Musings On Web Stuff ]:·
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This has been an interesting week for Opera Software. They released three successive browser betas. Each of which included incremental, yet significant, updates. So much so that it seems I was downloading and installing a new Beta version every other day! Yet in spite of the frequent updates, these builds fix one set of problems and introduce another!

The latest (at time of writing) Opera 9 Beta Build 8410 resolves two Widget bugs—session handling and create folder in widget panel. As well as a browser lookup caused by incorrectly nested tags. However ironically this build (and its predecessor—Opera 9 Beta Build 8406) incorrectly renders Betanews.com, the popular Beta software information and downloads web site. While Opera correctly renders the site header. It displays the body at 100% instead of within the constrained layout. The most logical explanation for the bug is that Betanews.com registers 249 XHTML code errors according to the W3C.org’s HTML Validation service! Opera, as we all know, prides itself on being strictly standards-compliant.

I haven’t used the Widget feature for the past 4 builds. But am pleased to report that Widgets are now persistent. And if saved will be accessible in a future browser session. Widget management too follows that of File Transfers, History and Torrent downloads—each can be managed via its own tab. Playing Tetris is an even better time-waster than Rasterwerks Phosphor Beta FPS!

On the negative side, I found Opera’s handling of Ajax and JavaScript-heavy web sites a minor annoyance. On GMail for example the mouse cursor doesn’t necessarily jump to the most relevant text input form field. However such dialog boxes include a Stop executing scripts option by default.

But at least I got the dialog box. My previous two Opera 9 Beta builds had serious rendering problems with GMail. Where more often than not the site would timeout when changing views. The most common error being an unsuccessful transition from login screen to Inbox view. Here either the Loading overlay would be displayed indefinitely. Or I’d receive an on screen alert that a Firewall or security software was preventing access. Be as that may (I have PC-Cillin Internet Security 2006 installed), the issue wouldn’t reproduce itself when using Firefox or Internet Explorer.

And if you’ve been trouble by a dearth of pop-up blocking software for Opera (Firefox has Ad-Block). Fret no more. Using a INI file level hack you can download, and blacklist, the most common ad servers. You can either develop your own list using the instructions at http://pgl.yoyo.org/adservers. Then open the urlfilter.ini (Opera catalog) with Windows Notepad (or any other pure text editor). And copy the addresses generated by the Web page into it. If its a simple solution you want then download this URL Finder file to your Opera catalog. Incidentally the Firefox Ad-Block plugin uses the same list.

Talking of Firefox, be sure to download and install (in a separate folder) Firefox 2 Bon Echo Alpha 2. Readers who prefer the Portable version can expect an update later this week. This Alpha 2 release discards the Places Bar feature. And retains the separate Bookmarks and History feature of the Firefox 1.5.x versions.

Also missing from the current Alpha 2 release are SafeBrowsing and DOMStorage as they missed the release date. They’ll be added to the forthcoming Alpha 3 release.

Firefox 2 Bon Echo Alpha 2 add several new features. Now links will open in tabs by default. There’s also inline spell checking in text boxes. And session save works if the browser crashes. You will prompted to restore your previous browsing session. But the feature is still nowhere as good as using the SessionSaver Extension. And the built-in SpellChecker is awesome. And is identical to the new spell-enabled version of Thunderbird. And OpenOffice.org 2.x.

Did you know that the fewer Extensions Firefox loads at startup? The lower is its system resource use. The browser also loads faster. And renders pages faster. As proved by my Portable Firefox 2 Bon Echo Alpha 1 with just 4 installed extensions—ScrapBook, SiteAdvisor, SessionSaver and Nightly Tester (required to make the other 3 compatible with Portable Firefox 2 Alpha).

Also new in this Alpha 2 release is an enhanced RSS feed add and preview function. And while search suggestions are (supposedly) enabled in the search box auto complete when using Google and Yahoo. I was unable to access them.

There’s also a new microsummaries feature that offers regularly-updated, succinct compilations of the most important information on web pages. Some typical uses (from the MozillaWiki web site) include:

• auction items: the item name, the current highest bid, and the time remaining, f.e. Honda Accord - $5000 - 1 minute left;
• products for sale: the product name, the current price, and whether or not the product is in stock, f.e. Linksys WRT54G - $60 - in stock;
• news sites: the latest headline, f.e. BBC: Chirac to sign France’s job law;
• “[thing] of the day” pages: today’s [thing], f.e. (for Merriam-Webster’s word of the day page) flat-hat;
• stock quotes: the current price of the stock and its movement in the market, f.e. TWX 16.94 + .30;
• stock portfolios: your current net worth, f.e. net worth: $30k; +$500 today;
• weather pages: the current forecast, f.e. SF: showers likely;

But to view these microsummaries you need an enabled feed. And I’m still struggling to activate the feature!

To see some of the new features, visit this link for a collection of Firefox 2 Bon Echo Alpha 2 screen shots.

The Extension manager too has been updated. But remember available extensions are rated for Firefox 1.5.3 with a few that are limited to Firefox 1.5.2. You will need to first install the widely-used Nightly Tester Tools extension. Then use its compatibility mode to allow extensions to be installed and activated.

I have been extensively testing out the SiteAdvisor service. Founded by a group of MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) alumni, this free “service encompasses a system of automated testers that continually patrol the Web to browse sites, download files, and enter information on sign-up forms. These results collected are documented and supplemented with user feedback, comments from Web site owners, and analysis from our own employees. The software summarizes the results into intuitive red, yellow and green ratings (also displayed by the in-browser SiteAdvisor button) to help Web users stay safe as they search, browse and transact online.” SiteAdvisor is available as a Firefox Extension and an Internet Explorer plug-in. The service is so popular it has been acquired by McAfee who are still offering it for free.

And so we part this week. Safe browsing. And we’ll meet again next week.

While tons of really useful freeware has been cascading off my virtual desk. I decided to take a vacation from the usual long, and often (in hindsight) burning column. I mean like come one 1200+ words a week!

So how did I spend the week? Playing the updated version of Rasterwerks Phosphor Beta 1 FPS (First Person Shooter). As I’ve found this online game a great way to burn off atavistic energies. Because there’s nothing quite like a few blood splatters preferably from the other guy/gal to really r-e-l-a-x a person. Burn off all that angst caused by interacting with some really dumb, nay stupid clients

So what has changed in Rasterwerks Phosphor? Quite a bit actually. The ‘bot enemies not only regenerate faster. But game play is quite a bit smoother. And while I haven’t been able to unintentionally run though a seemingly solid wall to view the game from outside its 3D models. An action that on the only occasion it happened all the ‘bots too seemed to exit the model (er, battlefield) and stuck trying to run through walls making them easy to shoot in the back.

But I have been twice blown off my feet by a couple of rocket rounds. Through a seemingly solid rock face. So I could see myself outside the solid model as I lay dying.

And the ‘bots overall have become even more accurate shots. Often a single zeroed round from the Sniper Rifle can take you out. And worst (or best depending on the view) you can see your enemies run past as you vision clouds red as you die.

I have also found that when playing as a Warrior (Level 4) or Champion (Level 5). The Sniper Rifle is truly deadly. One shot from medium-to-close range wipes out any Suit of Armor. And two shots will destroy the armor and kill you!

The ‘bots are tougher too. I notice that in Level 4-5 the ‘bots are generated by default with their health at 200. You in comparison start with a default of 100. And can add another 100 by grabbing a Suit of Armor. And if a ‘bot suits up, then they have a 300 point life expectancy!

But the weapons have definitely improved. Especially the Pulse gun which now sports much improved accuracy. Although that may partially have to do with my discovering the rapid fire option (keep the primary fire control button depressed).

But I notice that the machine gun too is better scoring than before. So much so I rarely need the rocket launcher to lay the smackdown on whichever ‘bot is in my sights.

If there’s anything bad about this FPS. Outside of the very graphic gore and explosion effects. Its the crappy Shockwave. And no this isn’t caused by Rasterwerks programming quality. But that of Adobe. Which has released a truly crappy Shockwave 10 player. That sort of stumbles along in Internet Explorer 6. But often chokes in Internet Explorer 7. And just about expires in Firefox 1.5 and Opera 9.

Oh and while Adobe’s new web site looks more Macromedia. Making me wonder just who exactly took over who. The quality of download speeds has declined considerably. What with both product lines sharing what appears to be one of Adobe’s overloaded file servers.

Don’t let the web site lull you into installing the light versions of the respective players for your browser (Internet Explorer or Firefox/Netscape/Opera). Instead download the full Flash 7/8 or Shockwave 10 installer. Close your browser. And then install.

And with that rant I’m off to do some killing. As should you. Join the other 2.3 millions site visitors. Meanwhile stay safe and we’ll catch up next week.