Ubuntu Tutorials

Fresh on the heels of my article outlining How to Install the Latest Firefox Web Browser, this article outlines how to install the Opera Web Browser on Ubuntu.  I will outline how to configure the repository to subscribe to Opera Web Browser updates, install the required packages, and more.

Requirements

Installing the Opera Web Browser using these steps requires that you subscribe to the official Opera Debian repository. This repository will ensure that you are kept up to date with the latest releases as well as security updates. To configure and activate the Opera repository, add the following line to your /etc/apt/sources.list file:

deb http://deb.opera.com/opera/ stable non-free

You’ll also want to import the GPG package signing key, to verify the downloaded packages. Importing the key can be done using the following command:

wget -O - http://deb.opera.com/archive.key | sudo apt-key add -

sudo aptitude update

Installation

Now that you have the Opera repository configured, you can install the latest Opera Web Browser package. Opera provides both 32bit and 64bit releases by way of their official repository. Install the correct architecture for your system using the following commands: (or click the linked package name)

sudo aptitude install opera

Once the package installation is finished you should have a new entry in your Applications menu. Opera Web Browser should be listed under Applications > Internet > Opera.

Troubleshooting

There have been reported issues in the past about Opera Web Browser on Ubuntu loading pages very slowly. If this is the case for you, it may help do Disable ipv6 on your Ubuntu system.

While this and other issues have not been reported by all users, you may be unlucky enough to run into issues. There are additional troubleshooting suggestions on the Ubuntu Opera Troubleshooting Wiki page

UPDATE: Install Opera 10 Web Browser in Ubuntu 9.10

I realize, in all of my posts, I’ve never outlined how to install the Opera browser. There are two methods you can use to install it, and both will be outlined below. Before I get into those steps though I have a few things to say about the browser.

First, I think the Opera browser is a really quality piece of software. In the “browser wars” I think it really has a lot to offer and I compare it, as far as standards compliance is concerned, at about the same level of Safari. I think, technically speaking, Opera and Safari are better browsers than Firefox. The usability and extensions of Firefox are one of the main things that makes it a good browser and so popular.

Having said that I should mention I use Firefox or Flock (based on Firefox) as my browser primarily for the great community around it and due to the great extensions. Also, most importantly, is the principle that Firefox is free software whereas Opera is not. For me, if anything, that is reason enough.

Without further ado here are the instructions for installing Opera on your Ubuntu machine.

Method #1

The easiest method is to visit the Opera website and use the download icon. When I visit that site it recognizes (or defaults) to a listing of Ubuntu compatible versions. Everything from Warty to Edgy are available. Simply select your version, download and install the package. Installing the package can be done using the Gdebi Package Installer (open with..) or using the command sudo dpkg -i opera*.deb (save to disk) after downloading.

Method #2

The second method is to download Opera from the Ubuntu repositories. This is probably the more trusted method, but many users prefer method #1 due to the fact that it can often be more up to date. As usual I will suggest that the official method, the official repositories, is what you should use. To install Opera use the following:

sudo aptitude install opera

Or, as always, you can use any GUI method such as Synaptic or Adept to install the opera package. What are some of your thoughts on Opera? Do you use it? If so, why? If not, why not?

technorati tags:opera, firefox, safari, install, dapper, edgy, hoary, warty

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