The story of the Opera browser begins not in a Silicon Valley garage, but within Norway's largest telecommunications company, Telenor. In 1994, two researchers, Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner and Geir Ivarsøy, were tasked with building a new web browser. The internet was still young, and the tools to navigate it were basic. Their project, called MultiTorg Opera, aimed to create a faster, more versatile browser that could handle the web's growing complexity.

The project showed immense promise, but Telenor eventually decided to move in a different direction. Believing strongly in their creation, von Tetzchner and Ivarsøy didn't give up. In 1995, they negotiated the rights to the software, left Telenor, and founded their own company: Opera Software ASA. They set up their first office in Oslo, Norway, ready to take on the burgeoning browser market.

From the very beginning, Opera distinguished itself by pioneering features that are now standard. While other browsers forced users to open new windows for every page, Opera was an early champion of tabbed browsing, allowing multiple pages to exist within a single window. This was a revolutionary step for user-friendly internet navigation.

The company also introduced mouse gestures, which let users perform common actions like going back or refreshing a page with a simple flick of the mouse. Another key innovation was the integrated search bar, saving users the step of navigating to a search engine's homepage first. These features demonstrated a deep commitment to a smooth and intuitive user experience.

Now, let's check your understanding of Opera's beginnings.

With its foundation as an independent company and a focus on innovative features, Opera carved out its own unique space in the history of the web.