2011/1/6 Shamit Verma <subs.linux.mum(a)vshamit.com>om>:
This percentage is based on number of http requests
and unique users making
those requests. On every http request, client sends a header to server to
identify itself. This header indludes info on OS, Browser versions etc.
Thanks.
Statcounter, NetApplications and others take this data
from Layer1 routers
and poulblish aggregate data. Opera made its claim on these numbers.
Now, what is a "Layer1 router"?
Opera's claim is from analytics of its Opera Turbo system - which is
an Opera-owned proxy that sits between Opera Mini and the actual
website and takes up a bunch of processing (including running
javascript).
Opera, when it is running on Samsung or Nokia or iOS
identifies itself as
Opera. So if you are using Nokia 6303:
1. If you use Nokia's built in browser, Header will report that as Nokia
browser running on Symbian
2. If you use Opera Mini, Header will report that Opera running on
Symbian
And what about case 3: Where a custom build of Opera Mini, based upon
a private label deal between Opera and Nokia, is the built-in browser
on the handset (as is the case in the Nokia 6303)?
To debunk Opera's claims, sum of Android + iOS is
enough. Because that alone
is 36% which is MUCH higher than Opera's share of total http requests.
Counting total HTTP requests obviously depends on whether Statscounter
or whoever gets to see the request; Opera Mini in Turbo mode
apparently doesn't allow them to do so.
Binand