Widgets are nothing but normal web pages that can be displayed in a different custom designed window.

Extensions are nothing else but 3rd party applications with the ability to hook into the UI. That’s about the same what ActiveX is for IE. I don’t like ActiveX (nor IE), and I like extensions are only in Firefox where I can shoot the whole browser with them (I did it multiple times) as it is not my first browser. I’m very careful with userJS in my stable Opera browser, but I neither broke my weeklies installation with lots of all stuff - and it’s just easy to have multiple installations of Opera even running the same time - it’s a pain in the ass with FF.

I think there always will be specialized applications doing special stuff just better than other ore general apps - and I hope Opera will not stop to be the specialized application for power surfing

For Safari’s activity monitor I think there might be some interesting things in the forthcoming info panel for you. Additionally I expect some more debugging capabilities with the WebDevTools - it’s just early alpha right now.

10) Oget + download manager (or simply integrate the download manager into your menus or as button)

Well we can do a lot of things using third part applications. But Opera is not just an internet browser is a complete internet suite. Anyway, its good that you have brought up oGet. This further illustrates the need for an API. Compare oGet or the option to change MIME settings to the one click install Flashgot extension. Fact is that people cant even integrate their download manager properly with Opera(a part from IDM users - which integrates itself perfectly with Opera). oget only works through context menu. And if you change the MIME settings you dont get the option to download with Opera on websites like rapidshare (which dont work with download managers).

Quoting ResearchWizard

5) not quite sure what you want: FLV Downloader Widget or Download FLV userJS or maybe the full progressbar as popup at the bottom ?

Safari is now available for Windows users too. Try it’s activity monitor (Ctrl+Alt+A). You would understand what I want.

nice opera

Really Autocomplete is the one really missing in Opera, although the link/userjs best matches the autocomplete functionality in other browsers, however there is still a bit of work to do to emulate it more.

both works for me (may be you have to uncheck Hotlist single click + restart Opera)

well.. i’m referring to the actual Bookmarks menu at the top of the screen, and i don’t believe you are. i don’t know of any settings that will enable me to right click within that.

I also wish they’d make certain settings, like “Fit to Width” available in site preferences as well, and copying to the clipboard in CF_HTML format intead of plain text only. I’d also like one-shot settings, so that when I’m surfing with plug-ins turned off, I can turn them on for the foreground tab only rather than the browser as a whole. That way, when a background page refreshes, it won’t get to load its stupid flash ads.

But without a doubt, an add-on API would fix so many things, because we could just add the features ourselves.

Firefox is able to compete with Opera only because of it’s extensions.

Opera needs to add an API if it intends on increasing it’s market share

Although this is often heard and the most visible and outstanding feature I strongly disagree that this is the main reason for the success of Firefox. My arguments (in this moment I don’t refer to the question about API in Opera):

there is no big announecment in any general browser comparison I know that IE is very extensible although in the same article it is said to be the strength of Firefox
there are a lot of other reasons (besides API) that make Firefox a very successful browser: it is cool, it is Open Source and developed by volunteers, it got a lot of attention even in the not technical media (just remember all the reports about collecting a lot of money for an advertisement page) etc and all this evolved into a big hype raising awareness and a good feeling to use Firefox (technically it was just good enough)
The Firefox movement was strong enough to force the web developers to make their pages work and look good in Firefox (and provide how to’s).
But sure I agree with you that some power users or special users just get the functionality they need or think is nice to have with extensions and this even increases word of mouth.

For the debate about Opera extensions I never quite got the reason why Opera doesn’t use the word “extensions” or “add ons” for all the possibilities to customize and extend Opera (Custom buttons, Widgets, UserCSS, UserJS, custom ini files for menus, toolbars, shortcuts, etc). Already now Opera has several APIs, especially UserJS and all the browser actions (see several All Action Lists on operawiki.info). Yes, I know it is not quite the same but in the end you are even able to replace the complete browser GUI (look out for Shoust’s browser panel which could be extended).

And furthermore you have several points in your wish-list for things you want to have integrated into Opera where a third party solution already exists - isn’t that what extensions would be, third party solutions?
10) Oget + download manager (or simply integrate the download manager into your menus or as button), 9) oSpell % 7) Operator or similar setups or simply a second Opera installation with disabled cach and cleared private data on exit (I know it’s not the same but therefore more powerful) 6) Lex1’s solution is still improving 5) not quite sure what you want: FLV Downloader Widget or Download FLV userJS or maybe the full progressbar as popup at the bottom ? 4) why the heck Opera has to be better if it already is the best? (sure there always is room for improvements and and so does Opera) 3) Userjs manager (and I agree that UserJS should be integrated in Opera’s extensions/add on page) 2) OpS - Opera input suggestion, autocomplete userJS, Personal information fields in wand (which work even automaticly) 1) AllActions / UserJS etc

Well, indeed I strongly support your points 8 + 6 and I think the rest would be nice to have (while I’d think unified wording and presentation would be enough for APIs)

@dave

- right-click ability in bookmarks menu, or at the very least middle-click ability to open in a new tab

both works for me (may be you have to uncheck Hotlist single click + restart Opera)

- would be nice to have multiple quick-download locations

It is already there for different file (MIME) types:
Tools - Preferences - Advanced - Download - search for the extension (maybe uncheck “Hide file types opened with Opera”) - Save to disk + check: “Do not ask for folder, but save directly to” and specify the folder

some other small improvements i can think of that you haven’t listed:
- showing yes/no for whether or not a file is resumeable in the transfer manager
- the ability to manually check an RSS feed (if this can be done, i don’t know how). maybe even the option to “reset” an rss feed, so any removed but current news will show up again.
- right-click ability in bookmarks menu, or at the very least middle-click ability to open in a new tab
- would be nice to have multiple quick-download locations

and there’s likely other things, but i can’t think of them right now

Clipperz is an online password manager that recently released a version optimized for Opera (and Firefox) sidebar. It’s called Clipperz Compact

Clipperz Compact will enable one-click access to your online services. Never type again a password!

Regards,
Marco Barulli
Clipperz co-founder