Bruce Lawson

Chennai, March 2009

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Opera and the business benefits of Web Standards

By Bruce Lawson

About Opera

It's a web browser.

various browser logos

What's the difference?

Opera’s vision is to provide the best Internet experience on any device

various Opera -powered devices

Mobile Web - why the operators love it

graph showing average revenue per user declining for voice, rising for data traffic

The big picture

WWW

The big picture

Wealthy Western Web

Indian woman checking mobile phone

Opera Mini

Also Opera Turbo for desktop computers

How does Opera make money?

Free to the consumer.

What is a Standard?

traffic lightUSB plug and socket

When Standards go wrong

train on a trolly on differently gauged track

Open vs Closed Standards

Open Standards are made by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) in public, through debate, discussion leading to concensus.

Closed Standards are made by a single company, in secret, according to the business needs of that company.

The dangers of a monoculture

South Korea is a nation that at the forefront of technology, an early adopter of ecommerce, leading the world in 3G mobile adoption, in wireless broadband, in wired broadband adoption, as well as in citizen-driven media.

But the Web is in hands of a single corporation.

http://kanai.net/weblog/archive/2007/01/26/00h53m55s

Advantages of Open Standards

The Web works everywhere - The Web is the platform

Theresa is blind

blind woman with dark glasses

But she can use the Web if it's made with standards (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)

Case study - Legal and General

British based financial services company that provides life, health and other insurance, as well as pensions and investments. Its shares trade on the London Stock Exchange as part of the FTSE 100 Index. Major markets include U.K., France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United States. www.landg.com

www.brucelawson.co.uk/pas78

Legal and General's redesign

Open Web Standards…

Thank you

brucel@opera.com

education@opera.com

There are no foolish questions - only fools who do not question