Opera Unite reopens the web

Cloud computing and web applications are no longer the same thing

June 16, Norway, Oslo - Opera Software today officially unveiled Opera Unite, a new technology that changes the perception of the Internet as a client-server model of information exchange. Opera Unite is able to make any computer not only a client device, but also a server. This allows users to connect with computers of friends and acquaintances directly and share information without the use of online services and applications.
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With Opera Unite, sharing data between computers is as easy as working with web resources. This technology allows the end user to better control the use of his private data in the public domain. In addition, he can work remotely with information stored on his computer using any other device equipped with a modern web browser.

Developers need to know that Opera Unite services are based on the same open web standards as web sites. This greatly simplifies the creation of new applications based on Opera Unite - developing them is no more difficult than creating web pages.

Opera Unite technology is available in a special version of the Opera 10 browser, which can be downloaded for free at labs.opera.com .

Using Opera Unite
1. Download and open the browser assembly from Opera Unite from labs.opera.com
2. Click on the Opera Unite logo in the lower left corner of the browser window and enter the username and password that you use to log into other Opera resources, such as My Opera and Opera Link. If you do not have an account, Opera Unite will offer to create it.
3. Opera Unite is accessed from the sidebar of the browser, and new services can be downloaded from the unite.opera.com section .
4. Starting the service will create a direct link to the Opera Unite application, for example notebook.jondoe.operaunite.com/photo_sharing . In this link: “notebook” is the name of the local device with the contents (files), “jondoe” is the name of the user, “photo_sharing” is the name of the Opera Unite service to which you open access from the outside. By clicking on this link, friends and acquaintances will get access to the content that is open to them on the hard disk of your computer through a normal web browser.
5. To see which of your friends are using Opera Unite services on your My Opera Unite home page.

Opera Unite services work directly in the browser. Currently, the following services are available to users for free:

File Sharing: using this application, you can share other users with files on your computer. In this case, you do not need to pre-upload these files to specialized online services. Just select a folder on your local drive, access to which you want to provide. Opera Unite will generate a direct link to this folder. It can be sent to friends with whom you want to share files.
Web server (Web Server) : this service allows you to run a full-fledged website from a computer. Simply select the folder with the files of the website on the local disk and allow access to it from the outside. All content will remain on your computer, which will act simultaneously as a repository of information. Opera Unite automatically recognizes and launches index files, so your website will appear as it was designed.
Media Player : access to your music wherever you are and from any computer. To do this, select the folder with the music collection in MP3 format and allow access to it, and then use the direct link Opera Unite, opening it in any browser and starting to listen to the songs using the Opera Media Player.
Access to photo (Photo Sharing) : now you can share photos with friends and relatives directly from your computer without sending files to online services. To do this, simply select the folder with photos on the local disk of the computer, and the application will create a gallery of their thumbnails. Full-size photo is loaded by clicking on the thumbnail.
Living Room (The Lounge) : This service allows you to organize a chat with friends right on your computer. Your friends can join the conversation by clicking on a direct link, without having to register with any online services. Depending on the settings, you only need to tell them the password to enter the chat.
The Fridge : Attach notes to your friends' virtual refrigerators. Now you can exchange messages with them in safe mode and in real time. Do not forget to tell them a direct link to your "fridge".

Six services already available in Opera Unite, created to demonstrate the capabilities of the new technology. Web developers can unleash their imagination and create applications themselves, fully exploiting the potential of Opera Unite.

Why did we release Opera Unite?
Every day more and more data and more and more services for their processing and storage appear on the Internet. Cloud technologies allowed sharing information anytime, anywhere, with any user. However, this freedom of access is associated with the transfer of private data to third parties - web application servers. This significantly reduces the ability to control the use of personal files.

We hope that the "cloud" computing will continue to change our understanding of web applications for the better. But we also believe in another way to exchange private information - without losing control over it. It is this idea that formed the basis of the Opera Unite technology, and it is in it that we see the future of the Web.

“Today we are discovering the real potential of the Internet for all users,” said Jon von Tetzchner, chief executive officer of Opera. - Technologies are developing in a spiral. Once the emergence of personal computers led to the distribution of computing previously focused on mainframes. In turn, Opera Unite is designed to make the "cloud" technology more democratic. A browser with an embedded web server will give developers the ability to quickly and easily create web applications, and end users will receive a flexible tool with a powerful access control system for private data and advanced information sharing functionality. We believe that Opera Unite is our most significant innovation ever, because this technology is changing the fundamental concepts of web space. "

From developer to developer
“The possibilities of combining social services and modern technologies are exactly what interested me in Opera Unite,” said Molly E. Holzschlag, web evangelist for Opera. - The use of open standards, such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript, allows you to create Opera Unite services not only for venerable web developers, but also amateurs. Opera Unite gives people the opportunity to realize their ideas by creating technological and social applications on the basis of nowadays and publicly available open standards. ”

Additional Information
Introduction to Opera Unite: dev.opera.com/articles/view/an-introduction-to-opera-unite
Opera Unite - the alphabet for developers: dev.opera.com/articles/view/opera-unite-developer-primer
Yusef - Opera Unite service structure: dev.opera.com/articles/view/yusef-the-opera-unite-service-framework
Markuper - Opera Unite Templates Library: dev.opera.com/articles/view/markuper-unite-template-library
Download the Opera Unite applications you have developed: unite.opera.com
Video - start using Opera Unite: unite.opera.com/support
Screenshots of Opera Unite www.opera.com/press/resources

About Opera Software ASA
Opera Software ASA is an industry leader in the development of web browsers for desktops, mobile phones and other devices. Opera Browser has received worldwide recognition from users and manufacturers due to its speed, compactness and greater proximity to standards than other browsers. The headquarters of Opera Software is located in Oslo (Norway), and territorial offices are located in several countries around the world. The company's shares are traded on the Oslo Stock Exchange Stock Exchange under the ticker OPERA. More information about the company: www.opera.com .

useful links
Russian-speaking community and the official Opera blog: my.opera.com/russian
Opera's blog on Habrahabr.ru: habrahabr.ru/company/opera
Opera community in the network VKontakte.ru. Vkontakte.ru/club15122
Let's make the web better. Choose Opera [EN] Blog: www.chooseopera.com
Opera on Twitter [EN]: www.twitter.com/opera

Opera Unite in questions and answers

Attention! We also recommend visiting the resource unite.opera.com/support , which contains answers to the most frequently asked questions about Opera Unite, and also visit unite.opera.com/support/userguide to learn more about the basics of using this technology.

What is Opera Unite?
Opera Unite is an interaction technology that allows one user to access private information, such as files, photos, music, placed on another user's computer. This technology uses a small web server hosted in Opera’s desktop browser that allows you to give access to data and services

What software platforms does Opera Unite run on?
Opera Unite works on all platforms that support Opera's bowser, including Windows, Unix and Mac.

Opera Unite only works with Opera browser?
In order to activate Opera Unite on his computer and provide access to its content, the user must use the Opera browser. But in order to get access to this content, any modern browser is enough.

What is the essence of the Opera Unite services?
Opera Unite services allow you to extend the capabilities of the browser - from the functionality of social networks and chat rooms to the ability to open files, music or photos for safe access to other users. Now it can be done quickly and easily without having to upload files to online cloud services.

What services are available now?
The laboratory release of Opera Unite will come with seven services: Profile (Profile), File Access (File Sharing), Refrigerator (Fridge), Photo Access (Photo Sharing), Media Player (Web Player), Web Server ( Web Server) and "The Lounge" (The Lounge). Other services will be created by third-party developers and published in the Opera Unite section of the company's website.

Who develops Opera Unite services?
Services can create anyone, we hope to attract the interest of developers from around the world. Some services are created by the Opera team.

What technologies are used to create Opera Unite services?
Opera Unite services are created in compliance with all generally accepted and open standards, such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, SVG, AJAX.

What do you need to give friends access to files on my hard drive?
For this, a laboratory release of Opera Unite, which is available on the unite.opera.com page, and an account in the social network My Opera is sufficient.

What can you say about security?
The actions of the Opera Unite services are limited to the safe area of ​​the hard disk created for them, only within its framework the services get access to the selected files, folders and subsections. The user will be able to give others access to only the information to which he wants to provide access. In addition, we recommend that users download Opera Unite services only from the unite.opera.com section. This ensures the safety of all installed services that are checked and tested by Opera engineers.

What happens if someone finds out my username and my password to log in to My Opera?
If someone knows your username and password on My Opera, they can only view the files and folders that you have shared with Opera Unite. At the same time, third parties will not have access to other files and folders on your hard disk. However, if you think someone knows the details of your account, please let My Opera support team know about this.

Where exactly does Opera Unite technology work?
Logically, Opera Unite is hosted in the Opera browser, and none of your data is stored on external servers you control. However, in cases where the UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) service is not available for any reason, Opera servers can help restore communication between user computers.

Can I save music files that I listen to using Opera Unite Media Player?
Yes, the Media Player service allows you to save files to your hard disk (via the right-click menu “Save content as ...”).

What happens if I turn off my laptop while someone is listening to music from it?
The streaming will stop.

What music formats does Opera Unite Media Player support?
Media player supports MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3)

Is the number of files that can be accessed from my hard drive, or their size, limited?
No, there are no such restrictions.

I can share MP3 files with friends. Is it legal?
In this case, the user himself is legally liable to the right holders in accordance with the laws of his country. Opera does not encourage or condone illegal copying and distribution of materials protected by copyright.

Can I adjust the speed of downloading files from my computer?
Not yet.

Can I compile a list of music files to play from different computers?
Not. But using the Opera Unite toolkit API, developers can create their own media players with this feature.

How many levels of access control to my files are provided in Opera Unite?
Now Opera Unite has three levels of access for services:
Open (public): Anyone who has a direct link to a file or service can access it.
By password: Access to files and services will be given only to users to whom you will pass a specially generated password.
Private: Files are accessible only to the user of this computer.

Is it possible to preview the data to which I open access?
Currently, all Opera Unite services under administrative rights can be previewed by clicking the “preview as visitor” button in the upper right-hand corner of the page. With this option you can see exactly how the content will look to external users.

Can I open photo albums with different levels of access for external users?
Yes, you can install several Photo Sharing services. In each of them, you can provide access to different levels and to different files.

How to install services?
Go to unite.opera.com/services page, find the service you want to install, then click on the “Install Service” link. The same service can be installed several times, with different names and “bind” to them different content.

How to update services?
Currently, you need to go to the unite.opera.com/services page and click on the “Install Service” link. Then, in the “Upgrade the installed Opera Unite service” option (“Upgrade existing Opera Unite service”), click “OK”.

Can I selectively suspend the operation of Opera Unite services?
Yes, to do this, in the Opera Unite Services panel, you need to select the required service and click the “Stop” button at the top of the panel. You can also right-click on the service and then select the “Stop Service” item in the menu.

Can I turn off Opera Unite?
Yes, left-click on the icon in the sidebar and select “Configure”. Then select “Disable Opera Unite”.