W3C'S Hakon Wium Lie Joins Opera as Chief Technology Officer

Continuing his involvement in the W3C as a member representative for Opera

Oslo, Norway -Apr. 13, 1999

Opera Software today announced that Hakon Wium Lie has joined Opera as Chief Technology Officer. Lie comes to Opera from the World Wide Web Consortium where he has been the Style Sheets Activity Lead. He will continue his involvement in the W3C as a member representative for Opera.

"Opera is committed to open Web standards. Until now, we have demonstrated this commitment by carefully reviewing and implementing W3C specifications. In the future we want to actively participate in W3C, and Hakon Wium Lie's background makes him the ideal liaison", said Opera's CEO, Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner.

"It's important for the Web and W3C that there is more than one browser. If a single vendor controls the browser market, it also controls which W3C Recommendations -- if any -- will be used on the Web. Opera is a serious competitor to the big browsers today, and I want to make it an even better product tomorrow", says Lie. "By being smaller, faster, and offering better support for standards than the competitors, Opera has shown that the browser war isn't over."

Hakon Wium Lie will be Chief Technology Officer at Opera Software in Oslo, Norway. Before joining Opera in April 1999, he was W3C's Activity Lead for style sheets. Lie's work on style sheets and go back to 1994, when he first proposed Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) for the Web. Lie is the co-author, along with Bert Bos, of the W3C CSS1 Recommendation, and a co-editor of the CSS2 Recommendation.

About Opera Software

Opera Software ASA is an industry leader in the development of Web browsers for the desktop and embedded markets, partnering with companies such as IBM, AMD, Symbian, Canal+ Technologies, Ericsson, Sharp and Lineo (now a division of Embedix). The Opera browser has received international recognition from end users and the industry press for being faster, smaller and more standards-compliant than other browsers. Opera is available on Windows, Mac, Linux/Solaris, OS/2, Symbian OS and QNX. Opera Software ASA is a privately held company headquartered in Oslo, Norway. Learn more about Opera at www.opera.com.

About Opera Software ASA

The worldwide World Wide Web — any device, any platform, any bandwidth, absolutely anywhere in the world. Opera Software was founded in 1994, based on the idea that access to the Web should be a universal right. 220 million people (and counting) use the Opera web browsers for computers, mobile phones, TVs and other connected devices. Opera also delivers tools, distribution, engagement, monetization and market insights to developers, publishers and brands around the world. We are passionate about breaking down barriers, so everyone can share in the power of the Internet. Our vision of one Web for all remains at the heart of what we do, because we believe that participation changes everything. Opera Software ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. Learn more about Opera at www.opera.com.