I first used an Opera trial version 4.02, then installed and kept the first free version 5.0. At version 5.12, I became a fulltime Opera user, having previously used IE. I started with Opera because of its incredible attention to detail, and attention to the user. But Opera stagnated, and I switched to the Mozilla suite a little after Opera released version 6, which had made almost no progress in scripting standards. Then Opera suddenly shot into the lead with standards in version 7, and since then it has really led the field. I switched back and stuck with it, watching Mozilla lose the plot and forget about attention to detail, chosing instead to please only IE users who have no idea what features are. I started writing on this site about Opera's impressive features and standards support, and how to use them. It seems I caught someone's eye, and they got in touch with me...
In mid March 2005, I started working for Opera Software ASA, as a Technical Writer, working in their documentation department. Since then my roles expanded, and as of 2008, I mainly worked in core quality assurance, helping to make sure that Opera kept to the forefront of scripting and display capabilities. I also worked in the Security Group, where we worked to keep Opera's industry leading security record.
This made it possible to keep documenting Opera, like I used to do here, but also to be able to contribute to the program's quality and official documentation as well. My family and I moved to Oslo, to spend some time at Opera HQ, where I was able to work with all the people who made a real difference to the Web (oh yeah, and Olli). A real honour for me, and certainly a job opportunity I was not expecting.
After nearly 6 months in Oslo, we returned to Wales, where I continued to work for Opera Software ASA. I may have missed being able to walk into someone's office and pester them for answers, but at least I could then work in my underwear instead - åsømm. A virtual aasøl (that's a norwegian beer, by the way) to my colleagues and friends in Oslo!
Since this is my own personal site, I was still able to state my own opinions, and publish my own public articles.
In 2013, Opera changed direction substantially. The main products stopped using Presto, the browser engine which we had developed together, and a new program was created based on the Chromium engine used by Google Chrome. The vast array of features, speed, low memory usage, and technological independence were exchanged for improved website compatility. Over the course of the next few years, the old headquarters lost most of its programmers, and other offices dominated instead. Some of the main features were recreated, to some degree. In 2016 Opera Software was split up and sold to different groups of companies, and very few of the original, skilled staff from the days of Opera Presto were still involved there. My time at Opera came to an end around the 2017-2018 new year.
(Before anyone suggests it, I got this job after writing my browser speed tests article, and it was not biased. Opera performed well in the tests because Opera performed well. As for whether writing the article contributed towards me getting a job ... well ... maybe just a little bit, but if so, I hope it was because of the effort that went into the honest researching. Considering how many Opera articles I had already written, it is fairly obvious that those were the influential ones, and not the browser speed tests article. I have already had enough of Mozilla/Firefox users dismissing the article simply because I was an Opera user. Please just accept that your browser was slower. My personal choice of browser has nothing to do with it. It really is not that big of a deal. Opera was already good, I did not feel any need to make it appear better than it was.)
After Opera's change of direction, a small but dedicated team of former Opera employees and new faces, led by Opera's original inventor, set up Vivaldi Technologies, a company with the old spirit of user-focus. This gave rise to the Vivaldi browser, a full featured browser that respects user privacy.
I was invited to work for Vivaldi immediately after Opera. I currently work in a number of different areas: Quality assurance, building tests for essential website features. The Security Group, testing websites and new features to make sure they keep users safe, as well as helping design security-related features, and communicating with security researchers. And as a developer, creating some of my own features to help expand the capabilities of the browser.
Browsers can be well made and have features, without feeling bloated or cluttered. Features can work with you, and make it possible to do more - effortlessly. A browser can let you choose to set it up the way you want. Browser makers can actually listen to users. Users, above all, are not a statistic, and are not a set of data to be collected and sold for profit - something that happens all too often with too many browsers. Using a browser should not mean that you have to give up your right to privacy. Try Vivaldi, and I hope you will understand why I am proud to work there.