Mouse Gestures Make Opera Unique

March 20, 2012 · by Anna Rohleder

Recently, while surfing the web in search of ever-more relevant content to serve up to the Opera community, yours truly stumbled upon a conversation among several self-described Opera loyalists discussing just what it is about our browser that keeps them coming back.

Speed Dial and tabbed browsing were high on the list, but the one feature everyone agreed is unique to Opera, yet not widely used (for reasons we can't fathom) was none other than: mouse gestures!

What are mouse gestures? Basically, they allow you to move forward, back, up, down etc in the browser, using quick motions of the desktop mouse instead of the buttons in the browser window.

They are a really cool way to browse! If you've never tried them before, or you want to get the full breakdown on how they work, check out our online tutorial.

Let's also hear from those of you on mobile phones. What is your favorite feature in Opera?

Readers' comments 28

Left under the original article, as archived.

TamilTuesday, March 20, 2012 3:20:24 PM
http://files.myopera.com/Tamil/Smilies/Yes.gif -
MuneerTuesday, March 20, 2012 3:22:23 PM
Opera Link
ChristophTuesday, March 20, 2012 3:25:46 PM
I have to complain about it!
I got so much used to using mouse gestures, that I catch myself more and more often trying to use them in Windows Explorer (they really should implement it! ^^)
Martin KadlecTuesday, March 20, 2012 3:34:05 PM
when I have to use other browser I always try to do some mouse gesture ten times before realizing it won't work
johnnysaucepnTuesday, March 20, 2012 3:46:01 PM
The best features are the ones you use without thinking! If I want to Google something, I'm so used to just typing 'g searchterm' it always catches me out when I switch to another browser and forget I haven't set that up. Mouse gestures are the other.
HurrTuesday, March 20, 2012 3:51:12 PM
The only thing about mouse gestures what I would like to see differently is the ability to edit the gestures in an easy to understand and convenient way. I know you can edit the gestures, but I want to be able to do this: "draw gesture, or select gesture from list", "assign function from dropdown menu", "apply".
Kate JoanTuesday, March 20, 2012 4:01:19 PM
it is funny!
d4rkn1ghtTuesday, March 20, 2012 4:03:49 PM
Martin KadlecTuesday, March 20, 2012 4:35:08 PM
Originally posted by HuRRaCaNe:

The only thing about mouse gestures what I would like to see differently is the ability to edit the gestures in an easy to understand and convenient way. I know you can edit the gestures, but I want to be able to do this: "draw gesture, or select gesture from list", "assign function from dropdown menu", "apply".

I agree. It would be also nice if the gesture 'help' UI wouldn't be static, but change the action names according to what is set.
Thu WinTuesday, March 20, 2012 5:26:09 PM
Google mail have mouse gestures. One of the biggest turn off from Opera is the lack of support from third party vendors. Norton does not make Norton Safe Web for Opera browsers (only IE, FF, and Chrome). My school does not support Opera (only IE).

Also, I wish Opera comes bundled with Flash like Chrome and install without admin permission so I can use it in library pc's.
Enoch 'Robot Boy' Appiah JuniorTuesday, March 20, 2012 5:57:46 PM
Opera link! B-)
Stoyan PomakovTuesday, March 20, 2012 6:19:19 PM
Opera link! And Opera Unite of course
DanieleTuesday, March 20, 2012 6:53:30 PM
Originally posted by christoph142:

I have to complain about it!
I got so much used to using mouse gestures, that I catch myself more and more often trying to use them in Windows Explorer (they really should implement it! ^^)
I'm doing the same with the Finder in my Mac!
Uncle MickTuesday, March 20, 2012 7:45:10 PM
That's the problem with Opera. There's so many features it's hard to keep track of them all.
Martin KadlecTuesday, March 20, 2012 8:00:06 PM
Originally posted by Mickeyjoe-Irl:

That's the problem with Opera. There's so many features it's hard to keep track of them all.

And you are just using it. Try to imagine how it has to be developing it and keep all the features working
NimeshTuesday, March 20, 2012 10:15:42 PM
search and tabs related all features
Espen André ØverdahlWednesday, March 21, 2012 2:05:45 AM
Keyboard shortcuts. I use a Macbook and don't always have an external mouse connected, so I use a lot keyboard shortcuts for efficiency like alt+tab to switch tabs, cmd+w to close a tab and cmd+t to open a new tab.
d4rkn1ghtWednesday, March 21, 2012 2:23:30 AM
One of my favorites features is Opera Unite, but it feels like it's been neglected and forgotten lately.

We need more new Unite apps and updates for the old ones.
auroraptwWednesday, March 21, 2012 6:04:39 AM
Opera Link, can't live without it.
Stan Cristian AndreiWednesday, March 21, 2012 6:58:43 AM
Link, mail, speeddial, list of recently closed tabs, tab stacking - all of them really great and couldn't see my browsing experience without them now.

I would really really like that tabs from tab stack that are not currently showed as top of the stack to be lazy loaded - or at least to have the option to make them that way in config. Usually I open a lot of tabs and group them as multiple stacks - some of are videos, some not, but when I close Opera and re-open at first it's slow for a minute or so until all tabs are loaded - and then if there is video or sound content on a lot of them is really annoying until I go through each one and pause or mute it. Lucky there are extensions like "Read it later" that solve a part of the problem - yeah, another cool feature of Opera - possibility to install cool extensions
Cutting SpoonWednesday, March 21, 2012 9:00:14 AM
Originally posted by wikipedian:

Norton does not make Norton Safe Web for Opera browsers (only IE, FF, and Chrome). My school does not support Opera (only IE).Also, I wish Opera comes bundled with Flash like Chrome and install without admin permission so I can use it in library pc's.

1) I consider to be a feature, considering how often it causes problems.

2) and 3) IF you are so curious, try a Standalone installation on a CD or Flash drive. There are lots of tutorials, and some pre-modified versions. (Especially CD version) A Standalone (USB) version stores all files in the Opera folder, and does not need privileges if run from Desktop or Documents. It would be a bad idea to make the school IT staff angry with you, but I would be very impressed if their security rules are good enough to prevent Opera from at least starting up. The firewall is a separate concern.

Originally posted by stancristian88:

I would really really like that tabs from tab stack that are not currently showed as top of the stack to be lazy loaded - or at least to have the option to make them that way in config. Usually I open a lot of tabs and group them as multiple stacks - some of are videos, some not, but when I close Opera and re-open at first it's slow for a minute or so until all tabs are loaded - and then if there is video or sound content on a lot of them is really annoying until I go through each one and pause or mute it.

It would be nice if Session Restore had a mode to match mobile version; if it does I've not discovered/read about it before now. May be an undocumented setting. Lazy restore would be GREAT for slow connections/tethering. I just set my disk cache very large, helps a lot. (185 tabs right now, plugins NOT disabled)

ExtendTube should solve most of your issues with auto-playing content, especially embedded YouTube videos. Setting the checkbox "Enable Plugins on Demand" could also help you, especially since Opera to put a "reload with plugins" button in addressbar for pages with hidden plugin content.
kapsiWednesday, March 21, 2012 10:02:53 AM
-email client
-rss reader
-tab stacking (please make tabs opened from inside stack, remain in that stack, not open outside like now)
-custom css - pressing shift+G makes the page background gray, text black and large page margins - much easier on eyes for me
-tab trash can
-keyboard shortcuts, I mostly use: 1/2 to switch to previous/next tab, ctrl+z to open last closed tab, ctrl+b to go to the url from the clipboard
-"fit to width" and "hide images" options
-you can have tabs on the left
-broad customizability - skins, shortcuts, menus, toolbars, custom buttons...
-unite is pretty nice, especially the media streaming server
Aleksander AasWednesday, March 21, 2012 10:21:12 AM
Wow! A lot of Opera Link love in the comments!

Awesome feedback guys!
Juniôr TlhapéWednesday, March 21, 2012 1:35:52 PM
Great Balance!! Opera Browser On Mobile Is just as Good as browsing on My PC..But i,m not trying this Mouse Gesture thing yet, i.ve been using opera for 2 months now and I still have to catch-up on other previous-extensions step-by- step.
ouzowtfWednesday, March 21, 2012 2:22:27 PM
Originally posted by HuRRaCaNe:

The only thing about mouse gestures what I would like to see differently is the ability to edit the gestures in an easy to understand and convenient way. I know you can edit the gestures, but I want to be able to do this: "draw gesture, or select gesture from list", "assign function from dropdown menu", "apply".

This!
I love the mouse gestures although I struggled against really needing it four or five years ago. But editing the gestures in Opera is really a pain comparing some addons of other browsers which copied the gesture functionality.
Eddie LopezWednesday, March 21, 2012 2:44:38 PM
I will not use a browser that doesn't have mouse gestures or a mouse gestures extension. I also don't understand why this isn't *required* feature for browsers. Safari is getting the picture with the whole "swipe" thing, but it took them forever to figure out what has been the primary feature of Opera that I've loved for neigh on a decade.
Satan D. LuciferThursday, March 22, 2012 5:26:22 AM
turbo is my most used and beloved features of opera

next is about:config

customize and tweaking numebrs there really what made me love this browser
RahmatMonday, March 26, 2012 7:56:53 AM
search, turbo and tabs related all features