Opera for Mac includes BitTorrent functionality

Anyone want to take bets on how long it is going to take the free Opera 11.01 web browser to get pulled from the Mac App Store?

In a post this morning at TUAW sister site DownloadSquad, blogger Lee Mathews noted that Opera is the first web browser to make it into the Mac App Store that isn't based on the WebKit core of Safari. It's also the first BitTorrent client to make it into the Mac App Store.

Apple has never been fond of the "special" uses of BitTorrent technology, particularly in the realm of distributing illegal copies of music, movies and software. The company previously shut down an iOS app, Drivetrain, that could be used to remotely control the Transmission BitTorrent application, citing that "this category of applications is often used for the purpose of infringing third-party rights."

If Apple chooses to look the other way on this specific functionality of Opera for Mac, we're wondering if some of the other features -- including extension support and a built-in email client -- might hit the Mac App Store hot button. We'll be keeping our eyes on the Mac App Store to see how long Opera remains available.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/03/opera-first-non…

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Anyone want to take bets on how long it is going to take the free Opera 11.01 web browser to get pulled from the Mac App Store? In a...

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sepirioth

I have a better over/under proposition. How long till Apple allows installs from the Mac store ONLY?....
Lets see if they actually pull it first though and what reason is given, if any

March 03 2011 at 2:19 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Joshua Ochs

Mac App Store != iOS App Store.

There are many things that are allowed on a computer platform that Apple isn't going to sanction for their more appliance-like iOS platform.

March 03 2011 at 11:48 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to Joshua Ochs's comment

Joshua Ochs

Isn't this article the very definition of FUD?

Nothing bad has happened - if anything needed to be written, it should be positive as they did approve the app, showing that the Mac App Store is looser by design than the iOS one.

*IF* they pull it, bring out the pitchforks at that time. In the meantime, stop with the FUD.

March 03 2011 at 11:50 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Robert

But it has been given the 17+ rating that they give to all other Web browsers.

March 03 2011 at 1:28 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

bayxsonic

I think Opera is an interesting software, but now it's getting bloated, I believe: browser, email, irc, Opera Unite, BitTorrent, and god knows what else. I think they improved the mobile web greatly before Safari Mobile came out, but as Symbian fades out (major player for Opera Mobile), Windows Mobile 6.x leaves (v7.5 brings IE9 mobile, supposedly as good as WebKit) and the iOS version fails to amaze, I see a shorter and shorter future for Opera Mobile. Even the desktop version never took off, its market share is negligible.
In my honest opinion they should downsize the company and work on Opera Mini only, for java-enabled phones, or join forces with WebKit.

March 03 2011 at 11:44 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to bayxsonic's comment

Shunnabunich

I've always thought of Opera as the Meg Griffin of the browser world.

March 03 2011 at 12:19 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

bluemonq

Opera has had email and IRC for ages, and has had BitTorrent support for five years (which in Internet time is pretty long). "Bloat" has been the argument against using Opera for forever (the one before that was ads, long after they got rid of them), and it's stupid because if you don't use the features, they don't use any resources!

March 03 2011 at 2:41 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply