New tab stacking tool from Opera

This edition of NetSpeak explores the key developments in the current web browser market with special reference to the new version of Opera.

The web browser, the software meant for accessing the web, plays a significant role in our on-line life.

Choosing an appropriate browser and equipping it with necessary add-ons are some of the primary skills required to survive in cyberspace. For instance, most of the mainstream browsers now support the extension facility (a browser extension is a small program that enhances its functionality).

To make the browsing experience more smooth and efficient one should closely track the latest extensions available and integrate the relevant ones with the browser.

Browser developers are quite responsive to the ever-changing needs of netizens and, generally, all of them regularly release new versions with bug fixes, added features and enhanced security.

Opera is one browser that excels in this department. Compared to other mainstream browsers, Opera has certain innovative features.

The file-sharing feature (Opera Unite), mentioned in an earlier edition of this column is an excellent example. With this feature, Opera allows the user to run a server inside it and enables him/her to share our desktop files instantaneously with anyone on the web. A recent version of Opera (Opera 11) also comes bundled with several useful features.

A notable feature of Opera 11 worth discussing is tab stacking. One of the revolutionary innovations in browser technology is the concept of tabbed browsing, which helps the user load many web pages in a single window.

Most of us have a tendency to open multiple tabs at a time and sometimes this tab overload could become unwieldy. Tab management is always an issue and browsers adopt different means to solve it. For instance, Chrome's ‘Pin Tab' feature could be used to mange tab clutter. The ‘Pin Tab' option, which can be invoked by right-clicking on a tab, allows the user to reduce the width of a tab to the site's custom image (favicon).

Besides helping to save on browser real estate, this feature makes the tab window permanent. This means the page in the tab is always available whenever one opens the browser. To create this functionality in Firefox, one needs to install an extension like ‘ App Tabs' (https://addons.mozilla.org / en-US /firefox /addon/47734/).