Opera: Huge Response to Free Browser

Just days after launching its program to provide free Web browser licenses to universities, Opera Software has characterized the response as "overwhelming" and says over 500 schools have signed up.

Although it previously offered free licenses to primary and secondary schools, high education institutions had to pay for an ad-free version of Opera. Now, the company is not only offering its browser free of charge, but will also fully customize Opera for a school's needs, including using the school colors and mascot in the interface.

Opera says top universities including Georgia Institute of Technology, Duke University and Bonn University in Germany have joined the call to move away from Microsoft's Internet Explorer, which has been plagued with a constant stream of vulnerabilities.

"We are happy to provide students everywhere with more security while surfing the Internet," said Opera Software CEO Jon S. von Tetzchner. "The response we received is overwhelming, which proved there was an obvious need in the student community that had to be met."

Jupiter Research senior analyst Joe Wilcox previously told BetaNews that Opera's new approach is a good way to get in the door. "The security hook is a smart marketing gimmick for high ed, where students might not exercise the safest surfing habits."