June 28, 2001 10:15 AM PDT
Opera Composer custom-designs browsers
By
Paul Festa
Staff Writer, CNET News
Opera Software, based in Oslo, Norway, has released software called
Opera Composer that lets people customize their browsers. With the software, Opera browser users can change the
graphics on the browser's buttons, change the appearance of their bookmarks and start-up screen, opt to include e-mail and news in the browser interface, and name the browser. The tool, offered for free from the company's Web site, is being marketed toward individuals as well as software publishers, Internet service providers, PC venders, educational institutions and other organizations. Opera Composer follows similar efforts by AOL Time Warner's Netscape Communications unit, whose recent
browsers have had customizable options, including look and feel.
The company also has released Opera 5.12 for the Windows operating system. In addition to bug fixes in the e-mail client, the minor-point upgrade claims improvement to its feature for closing pop-up windows and an upgrade in the Java version. Version 5.12 also lets people import Netscape e-mail.