Opera's ultimate security feature is what I call the "nuclear option." With two mouse-clicks you can instantly close all tabs, toss your cookies, erase the history of pages linked to, links typed in and the list of downloads, clear bookmark visited times (but not the bookmarks), delete all form-filling information, and erase all stored passwords. And of course you can configure this list to suit you.

Version 9.1, due out later this year, adds anti-fraud and anti-phishing features. I have yet to see a beta of the release, but Opera's record is good on making sure things are right before releasing them to the public.

A browser for everyone

What's that? You use an operating system other than Windows? From Mac OS X to Linux to Solaris to FreeBSD and more, Opera's got you covered, and most versions are available in multiple languages besides English.

In short, Opera has an unmatched repertoire of features, including what is probably the fastest browser rendering engine available. I've only scratched the surface here, not covering mouse gesture navigation, for example, or voice activation. Some people chide Opera for having a plethora of features as if it were a dirty word, claiming all the choices confuse the user with unnecessary complexity. I suspect it's because these features are something their browser doesn't have'yet. An unused feature isn't a complexity unless it gets in the user's way, and that simply doesn't happen with Opera.