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Ask HN: Why is Firefox losing marketshare and how would you save it?

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Re: Ask HN: Why is Firefox losing marketshare and how would you save it?

#321

Post by senko »

paxys wrote: post #154
selfhoster11 wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The subtitle of the question was "What would you do if you were in charge of Mozilla? How would you save Firefox?" My answer is an attempt at addressing these two questions. My goal wasn't to make Mozilla more profitable, but to ensure that it's focused on what should be its core mission, rather than the mire of sideshows that they engage in at the moment. Also, I don't care how Mozilla the amorphous blob of a corpor…

As a regular end user why do I care about what Mozilla's mission is? Apple makes shiny devices, Google gives me great free services, and in return I use their (perfectly great) browsers. What is one single reason to use Firefox? As long as these large companies continue to put effort into their browsers (which Microsoft didn't do with IE), users are simply never going to switch, the same way no one is using desktop L…

> What is one single reason to use Firefox?

I have many reasons for using Firefox.

However the one reason that instantly pops into my mind is containers. I can easily have multiple "accounts" without mucking around with multiple browser profiles. This alone is worth it switching from Chrome to Firefox for me.

Re: Ask HN: Why is Firefox losing marketshare and how would you save it?

#322

Post by robryan »

dnissley wrote: post #60

My opinion? Mozilla should take a big portion of it's funding and direct it towards the fight for browser choice -- and the biggest offender here is of course, Apple. There's already some tailwinds in their favor here (the Epic court case, general grumbling about the 30% take, etc), take the opportunity and ask openly that Apple support browser choice, and hammer them on it repeatedly.

I wonder how many users they would actually gain from this. People that both care about browser engine diversity on iOS but don't already use the webview version of Firefox.

Re: Ask HN: Why is Firefox losing marketshare and how would you save it?

#323

Post by twblalock »

Jayakumark wrote: post #164
selfhoster11 wrote: post #2

They should focus on saving Firefox. - Cut out all (or at the very least, most) initiatives that don't serve the goal of promoting Firefox's market share or sustainability going forward - Donate the major money drains that aren't Firefox to the Apache Foundation or another worthy custodian - Fire all inessential staff that don't want to work on Firefox. - Get a CEO/upper management that are in it for the passion, not…

Current CEO is a cancer to Mozilla, her main goal seems like to make more money personally before Mozilla goes bankrupt. As long is as she is there - there is no hope https://itdm.com/mozilla-firefox-usage-down-85-but-why-are-e...

A better CEO would not be cheaper, particularly considering that whoever takes the job would be tasked with saving a dying product.

High salary and a golden parachute would be required to attract anyone good enough to succeed.

Re: Ask HN: Why is Firefox losing marketshare and how would you save it?

#325

Post by paxys »

bradyo wrote: post #253
paxys wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a regular end user why do I care about what Mozilla's mission is? Apple makes shiny devices, Google gives me great free services, and in return I use their (perfectly great) browsers. What is one single reason to use Firefox? As long as these large companies continue to put effort into their browsers (which Microsoft didn't do with IE), users are simply never going to switch, the same way no one is using desktop L…

With enough investment, Firefox could also innovate and introduce features that aren't in Chrome or Safari to actually win users back

The problem with building a web browser is that if you introduce too many new features then you are breaking with web standards. The most you can do is add some user conveniences like sync, themes and extensions, but those don't go far enough to make enough users consider switching. A browser can, by definition, never have a "killer app".

Re: Ask HN: Why is Firefox losing marketshare and how would you save it?

#326

Post by russdpale »

nikanj wrote: post #13

Every time I restart Firefox, I get about 8 different prompts for "See what's new!" "Reset your Firefox profile now!" "See our new diversity initiative now!" etc. It feels like opening a Windows Me installation from 2000. I just want to get browsing done.

What? I've been using firefox for years and I never see any of this, you may want to run some virus scans.

Re: Ask HN: Why is Firefox losing marketshare and how would you save it?

#327

Post by zsims »

CleverLikeAnOx wrote: post #190
carapace wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel like I understand the situation but I'm doubtful that browser engine diversity is compelling. It seems like duplicate effort. As long as Chromium accepts pull requests, what's the problem with browser monoculture? (In case it's not clear, I'm asking in earnest. I'm not trolling.) - - - - edit: Okay, pull requests alone are not enough, but the objections y'all are raising seem like they could all be answered by…

A browser monoculture allows one entity to dictate how the web works. Even if you can open a pull request against Chromium, that doesn't mean it will get accepted without the approval of Google. Right now, backwards compatibility is protected by competing browsers. If one breaks backwards compatibility too often, it risks becoming known for having sites not work on it. In a monoculture, Google could take aggressive m…

We're already there. 4% Firefox market share may as well be zero. What is the current recourse for Chrome pushing a monoculture? I don't think it matters today what Firefox does or objects to.

Re: Ask HN: Why is Firefox losing marketshare and how would you save it?

#328

Post by tjansen »

I'd try to find ways to make Mozilla a better browser, instead of trying to convince people with ideological arguments, which is obviously not sufficient for a mainstream browser.

Things that could convince me:

- automated clicking for cookie banners

- built-in password manager with network storage

- better bookmark management, with bookmarks as icons on the start page, similar to mobile phone home screens

- built-in video calls with browser sharing (many years ago I saw a tech demo from Mozilla that looked a bit like around.co)

- cloud-storage for tabs and cookies/storage, maybe even JS state, so I can switch machines and get an identical browser window.

Re: Ask HN: Why is Firefox losing marketshare and how would you save it?

#329

Post by qudat »

I would stop chasing the browser as an OS and try to break the many uses of a browser into multiple sub apps, with specifications to match.

This is the reason why Gemini are gaining popularity: the scope is limited and focused on doing one thing well.

Re: Ask HN: Why is Firefox losing marketshare and how would you save it?

#330

Post by Hard_Space »

Give the innovations a rest for a couple of years, and redevote the funds to security development. Hell, do that for four years! Many of us long-term users are held hostage by the fact that security updates (which we need) come bundled with this tosh.
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