Mozilla to put ads in Firefox address bar suggestions

Post by 2Gkashmiri » Thu, Oct 07, 2021, 9:36 AM UTC

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…

Post by MonkeyClub » Thu, Oct 07, 2021, 9:37 AM UTC

Jenk wrote: post #122

dkdbejwi383 wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Can't we have one piece of good software that doesn't try to shove "relevant" "suggestions" from "trusted" "partners" down our throats? If you pay for it, yeah. But you can't have that and have the software be £free to use

Many people would pay for firefox. I don't know if it's enough people to offset what advertisers are willing to pay, nor if adding that would dissuade too many users but it'd be nice to have the option to pay so we can support the development of the browser directly, and avoid adverts. Donating to the foundation feels a bit like donating to the WWF because I want to help a specific Panda I met at the zoo.

Post by ClumsyPilot » Thu, Oct 07, 2021, 9:37 AM UTC

roca wrote: post #126

datenarsch wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is a browser expensive ? There are many great and big open source projects out there that are maintained and developed mainly by volunteers. Why can't Firefox be like this?

Building a shell around Chromium or Webkit isn't very expensive. Maintaining an independent, high-quality browser engine so that the design and implementation of the Web isn't up to a Google/Apple duopoly is incredibly expensive: https://robert.ocallahan.org/2017/12/maintaining-independent... (4 years old, but the situation I describe hasn't changed, except that Microsoft has switched to Chromium so Mozilla's engine…

Post by Swenrekcah » Thu, Oct 07, 2021, 9:38 AM UTC

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)??

Post by FractalHQ » Thu, Oct 07, 2021, 9:38 AM UTC

leodriesch wrote: post #107

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…

This just makes me worry a little bit that Firefox will take a similar route to Brave and introduce multiple streams of revenue into the browser, disguised as features that the user would want. E.g. Brave Rewards, Brave VPN, Sponsored Wallpapers. These just clog up the interface and make it feel sketchy. I just want a normal FOSS browser, but I also understand the whole financing issue.