[London, ENGLAND] Norwegian Web browser developer Opera
Software announced Thursday a link-up with workers’ rights
organization Labour and Society International to combine
the Opera browser with the LabourStart portal.
According to Opera, the biggest Dutch and Norwegian trade
unions have already signed up to the project, and more are
expected to follow suit.
Essentially, the new partnership will allow trade unions
worldwide to create online grassroots networks with
relative simplicity. A special version of the browser will
provide a customized Splash screen, start pages, and hotlists,
in addition to regular functionality.
Jon S. von Tetzchner, chief executive of Opera Software, said
the project has opened up new opportunities for Opera.
“With the power of the world’s largest grassroots movements
behind us in helping to distribute Opera, we will see thousands
of new users joining in on Opera’s Internet experience,” said
von Tetzchner.
The Opera browser has long played a minor role in the Internet
industry compared to Microsoft Internet Explorer and AOL’s
Netscape browser. Yet it is frequently acclaimed by experts
who have always admired its many features, some of which —
like incremental magnification of the page — are unique to
it. It is also faster, smaller and more standards-compliant
than other browsers.
Gerd-Liv Valla, vice-president of the Norwegian Confederation
of Trade Unions which has over 0.8 million members, said the
browser could become an important tool for union representatives
working across national borders.
Gretchen B. Donart, communications organizer, Seattle Union Now,
AFL-CIO, was enthusiastic in her endorsement of the project,
saying that Opera 5 has bells and whistles missing on the big
two — such as lots of keyboard shortcuts, and a print preview
feature missing from Internet Explorer.
“It loads fast on both the newest equipment and on my cranky
older computer at home,” said Donart, identifying one of the
key reasons why, against all the odds, a small Norwegian company
survived the Browser Wars of long ago and is able, today, to
help the trade union movement.
The LabourStart portal, launched in 1998, provides news coverage
for the union movement together with a free newswire service
and a directory with links to 130 trade union Web sites.
The LabourStart Web address is www.labourstart.org.
