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The Evolution Of The Modern Web

September 2, 2011 · by Aleksander Aas

When looking towards the future it's sometimes nice to have a look at where we come from. The first web browser Mosaic was released back in 1993, followed by Netscape and Opera. While both Mosaic and Netscape closed down Opera still remains. Browsers have even gone mobile and started an invasion of TV's as well!

We were stoked to see Google create an awesome visual guide of the evolution of browsers. They even found a screenshot from most of the old Opera versions! Take a look at their "The Evolution Of The Modern Web", or just enjoy these blast from the past screens.

When did you start using Opera? Let us know in the comments below!

Edit: Updated facts from Ruarí!

The first web browser was in fact WorldWideWeb, written three years before at the end of 1990 and created by Tim Berners-Lee himself as he developed the web prior to its public announcement.

There are quite a few others that also pre-date Mosaic (libwww, Line-mode, Erwise, ViolaWWW, Midas, Samba, etc.). The Lynx browser is also older than Mosaic, being first released in 1992. Granted it started life as a gopher client and only had web browsing capabilities added later in Lynx version 2, shortly after Mosaic. On the other hand, Lynx is the only one of the old guard still being maintained.

At least one more browser pre-dates Opera and that is Cello.

Readers' comments 50

Left under the original article, as archived; 2 pages of comments could not be recovered.

  • Carlos Eduardo Anchundia ValenciaFriday, September 2, 2011 1:26:02 PM

    Since version 6.1

  • silaslenzFriday, September 2, 2011 1:26:47 PM

    I think it was around Opera 8 :smile:

  • Nick EdwardsFriday, September 2, 2011 1:28:15 PM

    I started using Opera on version 8! Good times...

    It's pretty interesting seeing the difference between new and old browsers.

  • RobertFriday, September 2, 2011 1:28:21 PM

    I discovered it at Version 3...and YES contributed for the full version before it went totally free.

    ...have been loyal user ever since.

  • Aleksander AasFriday, September 2, 2011 1:28:29 PM

    Cool! I started using Opera 5 or 6 I'm actually not sure :smile:

  • Yeni SetiawanFriday, September 2, 2011 1:28:45 PM

    I forgot when, but it was Opera 5 or 6 (the one with banner). I used it because it was the lightest browser on my pentium 2 machine :up: :up:

  • Dawid PająkFriday, September 2, 2011 1:28:55 PM

    Using since 8/8.5 :smile:

  • rusfruitFriday, September 2, 2011 1:29:04 PM

    Here is whole web(browsers) evolution: http://t.co/IYJ8sdK

  • ahmedo83Friday, September 2, 2011 1:29:42 PM

    i dont remember the version .. but i remember it was the in 2007

  • MariusFriday, September 2, 2011 1:29:50 PM

    Since 9.20 . :wink:

  • Antonio LeddaFriday, September 2, 2011 1:32:08 PM

    I started using Opera since version 7.5.

  • Sorawit SiangjaeoFriday, September 2, 2011 1:32:53 PM

    Since 8.5, I guess. :bigsmile:

  • Rodrigo SchmidtFriday, September 2, 2011 1:33:19 PM

    It must have been around version 3 or 4, don't remember exactly, but I remember when that banner was added.

  • Gunnar VelleFriday, September 2, 2011 1:36:31 PM

    I first used 3.5 back in high school and tried it regularly through versions 5-8 and started using it as my main browser from version 9. And it just gets better!

  • Stephen MurphyFriday, September 2, 2011 1:38:39 PM

    newbie user here. Starting on 10 but moved away from it, Have been using Opera since 11.50 full time (late June 2011). Use it on my iPhone aswell all the time.

    I should have done more research on browers years ago.

  • tielenaarFriday, September 2, 2011 1:40:11 PM

    Discovered it at 5, but came back at 7. Was my primary browser ever since!

    Opera and I feel like one. There is nothing that can ever get in the way.

  • Mariusz MisiekFriday, September 2, 2011 1:41:11 PM

    Regularly since version 3.52 or something like that ;-)

  • Deepesh MathurFriday, September 2, 2011 1:41:43 PM

    i dont remembr d version when i started,but i am using opera from 2009
    & it was an mind blowing experience with opera
    I will like to thank the team working behind this browser for giving such an thing to us

  • AbraxiasFriday, September 2, 2011 1:45:21 PM

    started using Opera on 2005 with v8.5, when they got rid of the adware part of it… and, it's been my favorite browser since! :bigsmile: :cheers:

  • TrofFriday, September 2, 2011 1:45:52 PM

    6.06

  • earth01Friday, September 2, 2011 1:46:21 PM

    I first used Opera at version 9.00, but I have been using it regularly with version 9.50, which causes far less compatibility issues since then.

  • OPERATORFriday, September 2, 2011 1:47:38 PM

    Started İE6
    İE7
    Firefox
    Opera 9 + and ∞ :smile:

  • Arthur LutkevichusFriday, September 2, 2011 1:52:56 PM

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqemwwKwvkg
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJM7Mbr-1rE

    :up:

  • Garancsi Gábor ZoltánFriday, September 2, 2011 1:55:38 PM

    First Opera version that I tried (and also used) was the 3.6x :smile:

  • sabbabcnFriday, September 2, 2011 1:57:38 PM

    it was 2001 when i started using Opera... :bigsmile:

  • Richard KeelingFriday, September 2, 2011 1:59:22 PM

    Opera 6 - maybe!

  • OğuzFriday, September 2, 2011 2:04:40 PM

    Since Opera 7.50

  • DoqnachFriday, September 2, 2011 2:05:05 PM

    I think it was 2.61 or something around that number. Can't really remember, would have to look up my old 3.5" floppies to make sure :-P

    was a great alternative to IE3.1 back then :-P Browsing never felt as fast!

  • Karl AngeloFriday, September 2, 2011 2:11:37 PM

    I'm kinda late,
    Opera 8 here!

  • idiologicFriday, September 2, 2011 2:15:04 PM

    I probably started at 6 and bought 7. I started using it as my main browser probably around 9.

  • ep01Friday, September 2, 2011 2:16:51 PM

    I have used Opera since version 9.60.

  • Michael MylonovFriday, September 2, 2011 2:17:45 PM

    Since version 6.something. It even had a banner that time. And after Opera became free - i was literally jumping around from excitement.

  • Enoch 'Robot Boy' Appiah JuniorFriday, September 2, 2011 2:22:48 PM

    Started with Opera 7.50

  • wyrdRFriday, September 2, 2011 2:24:32 PM

    Geez. It was 1999. I can't even remember the version...

  • PiorunFriday, September 2, 2011 2:26:59 PM

    Since about 2000 year. AFAIR it was something about 3.62 or even lower...

  • Lgv91Friday, September 2, 2011 2:27:48 PM

    Since Opera 10
    I wanted to change browser, because firefox freezed on me :whistle:

  • Peter Guldager DahlFriday, September 2, 2011 2:29:16 PM

    3.62! It was somewhere around the turn of the millennium where I got my first internet connection (28.8k). The PC (from 1994) was terribly slow, and Opera, which I got off a DVD from a magazine, was the only browser that made surfing tolerable (and affordable).

  • moonicalFriday, September 2, 2011 2:29:34 PM

    I started using opera during version 3.

  • Martin SchneiderFriday, September 2, 2011 2:35:34 PM

    I started using it since version 7.5 etc.
    I know, Opera was the first browser with tab-feature

  • lordchigoFriday, September 2, 2011 2:38:49 PM

    I started using opara since 2009 but i can't remb the version.

  • Basil JosephFriday, September 2, 2011 2:46:37 PM

    I think I started using Opera 7

  • A.shunFriday, September 2, 2011 2:54:58 PM

    Since 9.5

  • LBDVFriday, September 2, 2011 2:55:22 PM

    Since V8 I think.

  • ZodiusFriday, September 2, 2011 3:00:24 PM

    I started using it since v. 7. I loved the skin and the setup, any chance of recreating those for 11.x and up?

  • Steven Lum YuenFriday, September 2, 2011 3:27:15 PM

    Since 5.x

  • IgorFriday, September 2, 2011 3:30:39 PM

    Ah, my dear beloved Opera 5.12, when i used this browser for the first time... :love:

    Ciao, Igor

  • lbs129Friday, September 2, 2011 3:32:18 PM

    I belive that it was Opera 9.23, and I still use the Opera 9 Classic Theme in Opera 11.51! :wink:

  • coolstallionFriday, September 2, 2011 4:05:35 PM

    I have being using opera fro v3 up to v6:D

  • vipin kumarFriday, September 2, 2011 4:26:15 PM

    Since 8.5 after IE 6!!

  • mjgardnerFriday, September 2, 2011 4:39:26 PM

    How could the web have been invented in 1991 but "Mosaic, the first web browser" was released in 1993?

    The first browser was Tim Berners-Lee's original WorldWideWeb on NeXT from 1991. Several others also predate Mosaic. most notably Viola and Lynx.

    See here for a full timeline: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_web_browsers

About this article

Published inChoose Opera
DateSeptember 2, 2011
AuthorAleksander Aas
Tagsgoogle, browsers, history, opera
OriginalInternet Archive

The Red O » Developers » Choose Opera » The Evolution Of The Modern Web

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