Opera is a browser I’ve used on and off again. You always like to try something new before you go back to the old reliable tried and true solution. It struck me as a bit of a surprise to see that Opera, in business now for 15 years, is basically introducing Web hosting via it’s browser.

Part of the news release from June 16th reads: “Opera Unite turns any computer into both a client and a server, allowing it to interact with and serve content to other computers directly across the Web, without the need for third-party servers.”

Well, it's a bit too early to see how this will all shake out but it's innovative, one must admit. I like the quote from Lawrence Eng, Opera Product Analyst, explaining the vision of Opera Unite (excerpted from Mashable.com):

"Our computers are only dumb terminals connected to other computers (meaning servers) owned by other people - such as large corporations - who we depend upon to host our words, thoughts, and images. We depend on them to do it well and with our best interests at heart. We place our trust in these third parties, and we hope for the best, but as long as our own computers are not first class citizens on the Web, we are merely tenants, and hosting companies are the landlords of the Internet."

Web hosting companies are the landlords and we are the tenants, is a great analogy, don't you think?

Lawrence did go on to say that: "We did make ambitious statements about Opera Unite, and big claims paint a target on our back, but we think it's better to aim high and not give up."

I'll definitely tinker with Opera Unite and see what the hype is about, but that was probably the original intention anyway. The tried and true and above all, secure confines of the Web, I believe, are still in the capable hands of the landlords.