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Tell Mozilla: it's time to ditch Google

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Re: Tell Mozilla: it's time to ditch Google

#61

Post by aragilar »

kevingadd wrote: post #46
mrweasel wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

True, but they only have like maybe three products that most people care about: Firefox, Thunderbird (maybe), and the MDN.

Just to provide one example, if Firefox suddenly no longer has bookmark/history/password syncing because Mozilla has refocused on its core products (Firefox/Thunderbird/MDN), suddenly you'll see Firefox's market share dwindle even more, because ordinary users are accustomed to every browser having a bunch of bells and whistles like profile syncing. The set of features people expect from a modern browser is really big…

I'm not sure how sync for firefox isn't part of focusing on firefox?

Re: Tell Mozilla: it's time to ditch Google

#62

Post by redserk »

paulryanrogers wrote: post #54
homebrewer wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And that's precisely the problem people have been talking about for a decade now. If it was just the browser, maybe it wouldn't have lost 90% of its former market share.

Firefox lost market share because of factors outside their control. They'd have to have owned a popular OS or conglomerate of dominant web services.

Word of mouth worked fine in Firefox’s favor for a few years.

I switched to Chrome years ago because it ran so much smoother than Firefox, and anecdotally I know of many others who did the same. With the switch, so did the recommendations.

Re: Tell Mozilla: it's time to ditch Google

#64

Post by t43562 »

rightbyte wrote: post #25
_ink_ wrote: post #8

IMHO the EU should step in. Having a browser that is not controlled by big tech should be part of an effort to reduce the dependency on the US.

How about not involving governments in how Firefox is run. Especially not those keen on backdoors and "Chat control". It could be a stand alone association ruled by its members or a classic free-for-all whatever goes code talks FOSS project.

A gaggle of governments with conflicting interests are less fearful than some private individuals with simple goals - like getting rich.

Currently private companies rule the browser world and they wield incredible power over everything from standards to PKI. Their interest is a world that depends on them even more.

Re: Tell Mozilla: it's time to ditch Google

#65

Post by jqpabc123 »

notpushkin wrote: post #53
jillesvangurp wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The good news is that development could easily be funded by donations. It's only a few million. Enough to keep a few dozen people employed. The bad news is that donations are unlikely to happen with the current massive misspending on overpaid people with no technical background that don't code that spend 95% of their budget on themselves, support staff that also doesn't code, offices they don't need, commercial produ…

The better news are, Mozilla gets around $30 million as investment income ($37M in 2023 [1]). Some people argue that it’s not enough to maintain Firefox but that sounds weird to me. Chromium is not a good alternative: 95% of Chromium commits come from Google. [2] [1]: https://wiki.rossmanngroup.com/wiki/File:501c3_2023_990_Mozi... [2]: https://chromiumstats.github.io/cr-stats/authors/company_aut...

Chromium is not a good alternative: 95% of Chromium commits come from Google.

Or ... Chromium is the perfect alternative ... as long as it remains open source and privacy invasion can be easily stripped out of it. Let Google fund most of the development of a privacy respecting browser (i.e. Brave).

And if it doesn't remain open source? Then it's time for a fork --- just like it is now with Firefox.

Bottom line: If you reject Chromium, shouldn't you also reject Mozilla/Firefox? Virtually all development over the past decade was funded by Google.

https://eligrey.com/

Re: Tell Mozilla: it's time to ditch Google

#66

Post by t43562 »

ponow wrote: post #30
_ink_ wrote: post #8

IMHO the EU should step in. Having a browser that is not controlled by big tech should be part of an effort to reduce the dependency on the US.

As if centralization with one big company weren't enough, now we're not even satisfied with one country, but a block of them. Yikes. Nope, run in the opposite direction. Unsuck from any teat.

a block of countries is what makes them far less worrisome. They're too busy competing with each other - none is going to want the others spying on it's own citizens for gain.

Re: Tell Mozilla: it's time to ditch Google

#67

Post by t43562 »

_ink_ wrote: post #51
immibis wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What?

It's a reference to an effort of the EU to reduce plastic waste in the environment by tethering the plastic bottle caps to their bottles. Instead of rethinking their consumption habits, people are making fun it, suggesting the EU can't do anything productive.

..and yet this sort of thing works because it doesn't rely on people to show much responsibility.

Re: Tell Mozilla: it's time to ditch Google

#68

Post by t43562 »

hagbard_c wrote: post #60
_ink_ wrote: post #8

IMHO the EU should step in. Having a browser that is not controlled by big tech should be part of an effort to reduce the dependency on the US.

State involvement tends to come with strings attached. The EU would insist on the browser to implement mechanisms to ' limit the spread of mis-, dis- and malinformation ' where it is up to the whims of the politicos in Brussels to decide what the populace is allowed to see and what is to be suppressed. To that I say a loud and clear 'thanks but no thanks', I prefer my technology to work for me instead of it being an…

Possibly but right now you're being guided to whatever information makes the most ad revenue. A choice of two compromised mechanisms might be better than none.

Re: Tell Mozilla: it's time to ditch Google

#69

Post by t43562 »

noirscape wrote: post #38
whoopdedo wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The reason they're cozying up to ad-tech is because they're trying to ditch Google.

If they're turning to ads to replace Google, then maybe Mozilla deserves to die as an organization. Modern adtech goes entirely against their core values.

If it's already essentially paying for them then .... what is the difference if they get it via Google or directly?

Re: Tell Mozilla: it's time to ditch Google

#70

Post by noxer »

notpushkin wrote: post #48
rightbyte wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How about not involving governments in how Firefox is run. Especially not those keen on backdoors and "Chat control". It could be a stand alone association ruled by its members or a classic free-for-all whatever goes code talks FOSS project.

If they can invest some money with no strings attached – hey, why not.

Have you asked the people who pay in the end (the taxpayer) if they want that? The very last thing I want my taxes to go to is anything that has "no strings attached". Its by definition a gift and gifting taxes should be a crime.
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