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Mozilla to put ads in Firefox address bar suggestions

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Re: Mozilla to put ads in Firefox address bar suggestions

#201

Post by hdjjhhvvhga »

samizdis wrote: post #128
eCa wrote: post #4

As someone who has used Firefox since v0.* I really, really, really dislike the language they have used lately. > relevant suggestions from our trusted partners The suggestions are not relevant to, and the partners not trusted by, me.

> I really, really, really dislike the language they have used lately. That is exactly the problem I have with it - weasel words and euphemisms; FF is scoring an own-goal here and eroding trust. Why not just tell it like it is. "We need funding and are lining up deals with third parties to display their ads/messaging in the address bar search. We vet these third parties by holding them contractually to these standard…

> Why not just tell it like it is.

Because the sad truth is every other company is doing exactly the same. We live in a world where the people who track you most will greet you with "we value your privacy".

Re: Mozilla to put ads in Firefox address bar suggestions

#203

Post by FractalHQ »

jedisct1 wrote: post #185
Adrig wrote: post #34

Meh, the feature is easily deactivable, the settings are clear and extensive. As far as ads go, it's one of the best implementations. Firefox still has no alternative in the privacy / user-centric space (don't mention Brave, I'm gonna get mad). Mozilla has done a lot for the web, I can give them some slack for exploring different revenue models. Still, I'm going to keep on eye for this kind of practices in the future…

> Firefox still has no alternative in the privacy / user-centric space Safari.

Safari’s privacy is a joke considering you can’t install browser extensions like UBlock Origin to thoroughly block trackers and other spyware. Not to mention it’s the most buggy and poorly developed rendering engine, breaking more websites than any other major browser. And it’s not even cross platform. Hardly a competitor as far as I’m concerned.

Re: Mozilla to put ads in Firefox address bar suggestions

#204

Post by hnlmorg »

Nextgrid wrote: post #167
hnlmorg wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Modern webbrowsers are hugely more complicated to implement than a kernel with no user space and very limited driver support (as Linux was back when it was a single person operation). In fact modern webbrowsers are bordering on being an operating system in their own right. They're already a virtual machine, with their own run times, plus one of the most complicated document markup standards known to man (and to make…

This severely underestimates the complexity of the Linux kernel.

We're not talking about modern Linux though. Modern Linux isn't "coordinated by a (admittably singlularly competent) sole finnish guy in a bathrobe from home,", there's now a team of people involved. Sure there is a hierarchy with someone taking the lead but isn't that true for most operations? Even the Mozilla foundation has a Chair (Mitchell Baker) and Executive Director (Mark Surman).

Linux hasn't been a single person operation since the 90s.

Re: Mozilla to put ads in Firefox address bar suggestions

#205

Post by bryanrasmussen »

mrtesthah wrote: post #64
toyg wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because all the browsers you mention are controlled by megacorps who want to own the web for their own gain. As mismanaged as Mozilla is, they are in it to make the web a decent place for users. This said, of course, I hate this "feature" and I'll make sure I disable it.

> As mismanaged as Mozilla is, they are in it to make the web a decent place for users. Placing ads in the search bar and datamining everything you search for is failing at this mission.

not only is the perfect the enemy of the imperfect but it is the friend of the absolutely evil as well.

Re: Mozilla to put ads in Firefox address bar suggestions

#206

Post by nine_k »

Certhas wrote: post #180
pizza234 wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Opera browser used to do this, from v5. It lasted a few years (it seem 5, based on Wikipedia), and they ultimately ended up switching to the default engine business model.

There is so much wishful thinking around this... "me and five other people want to pay, if you just cater to my specific tastes, than the me and these 5 people will happily bankroll your massive engineering effort!" Maybe people would be happier if they had to pay to switch off the ads instead of it just being a setting (/switching default search engine)??

(1) Too many ad networks involved; who do you pay for not seeing their ads? (2) You would be unpleasantly surprised by the amount to pay.

Re: Mozilla to put ads in Firefox address bar suggestions

#207

Post by Adrig »

jedisct1 wrote: post #185
Adrig wrote: post #34

Meh, the feature is easily deactivable, the settings are clear and extensive. As far as ads go, it's one of the best implementations. Firefox still has no alternative in the privacy / user-centric space (don't mention Brave, I'm gonna get mad). Mozilla has done a lot for the web, I can give them some slack for exploring different revenue models. Still, I'm going to keep on eye for this kind of practices in the future…

> Firefox still has no alternative in the privacy / user-centric space Safari.

Fair enough, but I wouldn't call a software locked to an ecosystem "user-centric". Firefox on Android is a lifesaver in a sea of opportunistic alternatives

Re: Mozilla to put ads in Firefox address bar suggestions

#208

Post by laurent92 »

_wolfie_ wrote: post #136
samizdis wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I really, really, really dislike the language they have used lately. That is exactly the problem I have with it - weasel words and euphemisms; FF is scoring an own-goal here and eroding trust. Why not just tell it like it is. "We need funding and are lining up deals with third parties to display their ads/messaging in the address bar search. We vet these third parties by holding them contractually to these standard…

> We need funding Yeah, I guess Baker needs a raise.

Counterpoint, I’d rather NGOs and benevolent societies be attractive for world-class leaders, rather than be the constant underdog. Of course those CEOs have to avoid implementing classic business schemes.

Re: Mozilla to put ads in Firefox address bar suggestions

#209

Post by nine_k »

pizza234 wrote: post #115
AegirLeet wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Reducing reliance on Google by partnering up with a different ad company instead. What good does that do? I don't want ads anywhere near my browser. Here's what I'd really like them to do: * Stop paying out millions to execs * Focus more on Firefox instead of other side projects * Let me pay for Firefox development directly

The Opera browser used to do this, from v5. It lasted a few years (it seem 5, based on Wikipedia), and they ultimately ended up switching to the default engine business model.

Opera was / is cool and advanced in many regards.

But Firefox is open source. This is very important for many reasons.

Re: Mozilla to put ads in Firefox address bar suggestions

#210

Post by y4mi »

Certhas wrote: post #180
pizza234 wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Opera browser used to do this, from v5. It lasted a few years (it seem 5, based on Wikipedia), and they ultimately ended up switching to the default engine business model.

There is so much wishful thinking around this... "me and five other people want to pay, if you just cater to my specific tastes, than the me and these 5 people will happily bankroll your massive engineering effort!" Maybe people would be happier if they had to pay to switch off the ads instead of it just being a setting (/switching default search engine)??

It's not as clear cut as you seem to think.

A lot of people just think that Mozilla should be a nonprofit and not aim to primarily enrich it's CEO and leadership. This isn't the case at the moment, which is clear if you paid any attention to what they've been doing for the last few years.

Little of the money that's going to be raised by this will end up paying for engineers to improve or maintain the Firefox code base and the vast majority of it will end in the pockets of said leadership, and this is kinda displeasing.

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