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Opera Press Releases
Opera releases "Bork" edition
The Swedish Chef Goes After Microsoft
Oslo, Norway - Feb 14, 2003
Two weeks ago it was revealed that Microsoft's MSN portal
targeted Opera users, by purposely provided them with a
broken page. As a reply to MSN's treatment of its users,
Opera Software today released a very special Bork edition of
its Opera 7 for Windows browser. The Bork edition behaves
differently on one Web site: MSN. Users accessing the MSN
site will see the page transformed into the language of the
famous Swedish Chef from the Muppet Show: Bork, Bork, Bork!
In October 2001, Opera users were blocked from the MSN site.
The event caused an uproar among Web users and MSN was forced
to change their policy. However, MSN continues a policy of
singling out its Opera competitor by specifically instructing
Opera to hide content from users.
"Hergee berger snooger bork," says Mary Lambert, product line
manager desktop, Opera Software. "This is a joke. However, we
are trying to make an important point. The MSN site is
sending Opera users what appear to be intentionally distorted
pages. The Bork edition illustrates how browsers could also
distort content, as the Bork edition does. The real point
here is that the success of the Web depends on software and
Web site developers behaving well and rising above corporate
rivalry."
MSN now allows access to users of Opera 7, but is still
targeting and sending users of earlier versions a broken
page. This treatment is completely unnecessary, as the page
would look the same in Opera as in Microsoft's own Internet
Explorer if it had been fed the same information.
"We are working hard to make sure the Opera browser works
well on all Web pages, even those that do not follow the
Web's standards to the letter," says Hakon Wium Lie, CTO,
Opera Software. "But it becomes impossible when we are
targeted and fed distorted pages that don't work in any
browser. It's like putting a moose in the blender -- a recipe
for disaster! Microsoft should clean up their act on MSN and
their other Web sites."
For more technical documentation, see the article Why doesn't
MSN work with Opera?
Opera 7.01 for Windows in Bork can be downloaded from
ftp.opera.com.
About Opera Software
Opera Software ASA is an industry leader in the development
of Web browser technology, partnering with companies such as
IBM, AMD, Nokia, Macromedia, Symbian, Canal+ Technologies,
Ericsson, Sharp Lineo (now Embedix), and MontaVista Software.
The Opera browser has received international recognition from
users, industry experts and media for being faster, smaller
and more standards-compliant than other browsers. Opera's
browser technology is cross-platform and modular, targeting
the desktop, smartphone, PDA, iTV and vertical markets.
Opera Software ASA is a privately held company headquartered
in Oslo, Norway, with development centers in Linköping and
Gothenburg, Sweden, and a representative in Austin, TX. Learn
more about Opera at www.opera.com
Opera releases "Bork" edition
The Swedish Chef Goes After Microsoft
Oslo, Norway - Feb 14, 2003
Two weeks ago it was revealed that Microsoft's MSN portal
targeted Opera users, by purposely provided them with a
broken page. As a reply to MSN's treatment of its users,
Opera Software today released a very special Bork edition of
its Opera 7 for Windows browser. The Bork edition behaves
differently on one Web site: MSN. Users accessing the MSN
site will see the page transformed into the language of the
famous Swedish Chef from the Muppet Show: Bork, Bork, Bork!
In October 2001, Opera users were blocked from the MSN site.
The event caused an uproar among Web users and MSN was forced
to change their policy. However, MSN continues a policy of
singling out its Opera competitor by specifically instructing
Opera to hide content from users.
"Hergee berger snooger bork," says Mary Lambert, product line
manager desktop, Opera Software. "This is a joke. However, we
are trying to make an important point. The MSN site is
sending Opera users what appear to be intentionally distorted
pages. The Bork edition illustrates how browsers could also
distort content, as the Bork edition does. The real point
here is that the success of the Web depends on software and
Web site developers behaving well and rising above corporate
rivalry."
MSN now allows access to users of Opera 7, but is still
targeting and sending users of earlier versions a broken
page. This treatment is completely unnecessary, as the page
would look the same in Opera as in Microsoft's own Internet
Explorer if it had been fed the same information.
"We are working hard to make sure the Opera browser works
well on all Web pages, even those that do not follow the
Web's standards to the letter," says Hakon Wium Lie, CTO,
Opera Software. "But it becomes impossible when we are
targeted and fed distorted pages that don't work in any
browser. It's like putting a moose in the blender -- a recipe
for disaster! Microsoft should clean up their act on MSN and
their other Web sites."
For more technical documentation, see the article Why doesn't
MSN work with Opera?
Opera 7.01 for Windows in Bork can be downloaded from
ftp.opera.com.
About Opera Software
Opera Software ASA is an industry leader in the development
of Web browser technology, partnering with companies such as
IBM, AMD, Nokia, Macromedia, Symbian, Canal+ Technologies,
Ericsson, Sharp Lineo (now Embedix), and MontaVista Software.
The Opera browser has received international recognition from
users, industry experts and media for being faster, smaller
and more standards-compliant than other browsers. Opera's
browser technology is cross-platform and modular, targeting
the desktop, smartphone, PDA, iTV and vertical markets.
Opera Software ASA is a privately held company headquartered
in Oslo, Norway, with development centers in Linköping and
Gothenburg, Sweden, and a representative in Austin, TX. Learn
more about Opera at www.opera.com
