The Opera 5.x Book is your comprehensive guide to the Opera browser. You will find everything you need to know about configuring Opera, power-surfing, and using plug-ins to enhance your browsing experience. Whether you're an old hand at Opera or you've never used this unique browser before, the Opera book has what you need to make the most of your online experience.

The Opera 5.x Book and Opera 6

Ninety percent of The Opera 5.x Book is directly applicable to version 6. Only minor changes have been made to the configuration menus and Preferences dialog boxes; you will find valuable descriptions and examples of these settings, plus tips and tricks for squeezing additional performance out of the browser. Also, you will have no trouble applying what you find in this book to Opera 6's e- mail client and newsreader; nothing has changed here.

What You Might Miss

Of course, there have been considerable improvements in Opera 6 versus version 5. Here is what the book doesn't cover:

• Opera 6 includes a new interface option. You can now choose to open documents in separate windows (like other browsers), rather than within Opera's own workspace (like a word processor). If you have used other browsers, you will have no trouble finding your way around the new interface.
• The Quick preferences menu (under the *File* option in the main menu) permits you to change common settings quickly, without having to hunt through the more convoluted Preferences dialog box. These options are not new; they have just been placed where they are easier to access, so The Opera 5.x Book describes these options in detail.
• Opera 6 supports skins that alter the appearance of the browser; skins don't affect functionality in any way.