Opera Unite, a Web Server For Every Computer

When Opera Unite was first announced I was skeptical. It seemed a little too good to be true and I just needed to see for myself whether or not it could live up to the hype. TechCrunch as well as others have raved about it but what good is it really?

For those that have not heard about Opera Unite or even Opera for that matter, Opera is an Internet Browser and Opera Unite is a service built into the browser that  acts as your own personal web server. The idea is for you to be able to share files, notes, music, photos, or even host a website from your own computer.

Many of these features are currently available in many forms but it is rare to actually see them in something such as an Internet Browser. What is even more surprising is that Opera has managed to pull it off so well that even the most technically inept can use it.

How many of you out there have actually hosted a website from your house? Almost everyone I know that has done this (including myself) have used a dedicated server of some sort whether that is Server 2003 or even Windows Home Server. It makes sense sometimes to use the right tool for the job but maybe that definition is changing.

The simplicity of sharing a website really surprises me. For a web developer needing to test a site or just someone that does not want to pay for hosting, Opera Unite is perfect.

• Other users do not need to use Opera to access your Opera Unite services. Most modern browsers are supported by default
• Any developer with knowledge of HTML, CSS, Java Script, etc. can create services for Opera Unite
• All Opera Unite services are free of charge both to create and use
• To get Opera Unite you can either download the Opera 10 Beta that includes it or download the components into your current version of Opera 10 Beta

Once Opera 10 Beta is downloaded everything operates as normal. It is when you click on the Opera Unite icon (looks like 3 rain drops in a circle) on the left side of the browser or when you select Tools-> Opera Unite Server-> Configure, you can setup Unite. The actual setup for Opera Unite consists of setting up an Opera account if you don’t have one (about 15 seconds) and then clicking next. After this you will choose the name of the computer that you are installing it on.

Depending on the services you choose you will have to select the locations of your music, pictures, website, etc.. During this process you can also select the privacy level of your services. You can share with everyone or just friends you send the link and password to.

When it comes to something like a server it is almost impossible to make it any easier than Opera Unite.  The simplicity might come back to bite some users however. It is only a matter of time until we see the stories about users sharing things they would rather keep private.

Check It Out> Opera Unite, Download, Upgrade Opera