Rumor Report: Facebook To Buy Opera Software

[engine]

Report: Facebook To Buy Opera Software [pocket-lint.com]

A Facebook browser that would allow you keep up to date with your social life from in-built plug-ins and features on the menu bar could be on the cards. Pocket-lint has heard from one of its trusted sources that the social networking giant is looking to buy Opera Software, the company behind the Opera web browser.

According to our man in the know, the company could be about to expand into the browser space to take on the likes of Google, Apple, Microsoft, Mozilla and now even Yahoo, who has recently launched its own browser.

[brotherhood of LAN]

So, Chrome phones home.
Opera... definitely would.
Firefox, contacts google periodically to update its unsafe sites list.

Maybe konqueror will get some glory.

[topr8]

Oh no, my constant companion for the last 12+ years could be about to change dramatically!

[Brett_Tabke]

On the other hand - Opera can use all the help it can get.

[Leosghost]

If it happens then Opera will be dropped from computers and phones, by many ( including me ) in a heart beat..

Chromium..off to see if they do a mobile phone version..

[creeking]

So, Chrome phones home.
Opera... definitely would.
Firefox, contacts google periodically to update its unsafe sites list.

do people make plugins for blocking these communications?

[Brett_Tabke]

Facebook buying Opera has nothing to do with tracking.

[creeking]

Brett, do you think they could resist the urge to gather information?

[Leosghost]

Facebook buying Opera has nothing to do with tracking.

Until facebook decide to make it all about the tracking..( and don't tell us that they have changed how "it" works )..

I don't trust facebook..with very very good reason ..why should I trust something they own ( if they buy Opera )..

Because Mark says I should.. ?

We all know what Mark thinks about "users" of his products and how welded he is to not tracking..

Anything Facebook does, has everything do with tracking, tracking is the company's business model..

[pkaster]

@Brett_Tabke

On the other hand - Opera can use all the help it can get.

That's an odd thing to say just after Opera had yet another quarter with record revenues and profits, and aftergetting another 8 million active Opera mini users in March alone.

[Brett_Tabke]

> odd thing to say

and another quarter where their product lost even more market share. Their once flagship desktop browser isn't even in the top 5 anymore. Some stats have them falling out of the top 10.

[pkaster]

So how is it possible that Opera lost market share while at the same time growing by tens of millions of additional active users in the quarter (even the desktop browser has more users now than before), and revenues and profits were record high?

Where are you seeing the desktop browser as not being in the top 5 anymore?

[bordering]

I just hate browsers which report back on me. Is there anything wrong in wanting some personal privacy? I tend to use Firefox, and some reporting back on unsafe sites sounds quite acceptable, perhaps even beneficial. I'd pay money for a decent browser that doesn't phone home, and I doubt I'm alone in thinking this.

[bill]

I've been an Opera supporter for many years, but this might change my use of their product. I do realize they need all of the help they can get on the desktop browser side...but Facebook?

For those with a bit of tin-foil hat syndrome there is still a decent alternative...SRWare Iron is a Chromium fork that doesn't report back to Google.