If the browser can handle a particular format natively, without a plugin, and especially if it proposes to do so more efficiently (using less CPU cycles), you've got to figure that that is an advance.

True, this may only make a difference for browsers in phones (Opera for devices is where Opera Software must make its money). But if that leads sites that focus on small screens to use a simpler structure that is more easily processed by the browser in our Nokia Internet Tablets, then it's a plus for us too.

And who knows. It may apply pressure on Adobe to

• make Flash cheaper
• make Flash more efficient

so as not to undermine its base. I mean, whatever Opera has will eventually make its way into Firefox because those developers need new challenges, and that could lead IE to add it too.