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Leaving Mozilla

blog.unitedheroes.net

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Re: Leaving Mozilla

#291

Post by thisislife2 »

zzo38computer wrote: post #287
kgwxd wrote: post #240

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The only correct move would be remove the option, remove all AI code, and move it into extensions. If the extension security policies, and other restrictions, don't allow all the things they want to put in, then GOOD, they don't go in.

I also think should be moved into extensions. However, extension security policies and other restrictions do not have to necessarily be so restrictive; there can be permissions but for extensions that you can install and uninstall by yourself it can be useful to be able to load native code .so files (since you might want to do things other than what the browser does by itself). This permission would not be made avail…

Older Firefox extension feature-sets were quite powerful before Google financially coerced / induced them to support the kind of crippled version that is today's "Web Extensions". Many developers were angry enough to fork Firefox just to retain that feature ( https://www.palemoon.org/ ).

Re: Leaving Mozilla

#292

Post by gsich »

crote wrote: post #154
gsich wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a skill check.

It's gatekeeping. Don't be surprised when your pet project slowly dies because potential new contributors choose to join less hostile communities instead.

Gatekeeping is not always bad.

Re: Leaving Mozilla

#293

Post by [deleted] »

yorwba wrote: post #127
TalkingCodeMonk wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is why I refuse to donate to Mozilla, despite only paying for open source products, believing that 100% open source should be mandatory in every democractic government, Firefox and Thunderbird being my daily drivers for many years, and donating several hundred dollars every year on FLOSS projects. Many of Mozillas product decisions prove that the Mozilla corporation is not aligned with the interests of FLOSS. I…

> I can't donate to Firefox or Thunderbird specifically, neither at the feature or product level. There is no way to ensure my donations go to enriching these products, instead of profit generating features that benefit the Mozilla corporation. Thunderbird is no longer owned by the Mozilla corporation, so now you can donate directly to them.

[deleted]

Re: Leaving Mozilla

#294

Post by altairprime »

krautburglar wrote: post #290
altairprime wrote: post #258

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Mozilla Corporation, owner and operator of the Firefox brand and recipient of Google’s payments, is not a non-profit. U.S. law permits non-profits to have for-profit subsidiaries if one accepts severe limitations, such as the corporation’s profits being largely severed from the non-profit’s use. Severance isn’t just a science fiction show, it’s a compulsory auditable requirement.

Corporations get up to so many rotten things, most of which are entirely legal, but shouldn't be. Mozilla Corporation thanks you for the free ball-washing & PR work. If you reach out to their non-profit parent, you may even be able to deduct this on your taxes.

> Mozilla Corporation thanks you for the free ball-washing & PR work

I already left Mozilla in disgust, and I completely agree that corporations should, to use in-kind language, 'get fucked', so you may have misread. Don't mistake being corrected about the legality of a corporate structure for supporting it personally.

> Corporations get up to so many rotten things, most of which are entirely legal, but shouldn't be

Once I exit the other side of the next couple degrees, I'll have the skills to work as a forensic accountant with a specialty in piercing tech worker lies to reveal real and serious corporate malfeasance, and use that skill to start dissecting and dissolving corporations for criminal acts that no one realizes are occurring. (Sadly, I possess no non-public information on instances of such, or I'd be eligible for a rather significant whistleblower payout.) Or, if I decide to pursue a doctorate, one of the thesis options I've been considering would chop down a cornerstone principle of economics as leverage into forcing corporations to pay up. That decision's a couple years away, though it is a tempting option for sure.

But, hey, it's rude to just talk about me. What are you doing that will productively combat capitalism?

Re: Leaving Mozilla

#295

Post by GaryBluto »

t_gamer_kle wrote: post #241

34 occurrences of "folk". Remarkably grating affectation. Is something wrong with other nouns for groups of individuals?

I noticed too; I managed to ignore it at first but it eventually became so grating I stopped reading shortly before I reached the end of the article.

I'm not exactly sure of the reason for the overuse but the sheer amount of times it is used feels artificial. Not "artificial" in an "artificial intelligence" sense but perhaps a corporate, "inclusive" thing[1] that may have rubbed off on the author during his time at Mozilla, or a political convention (which is possible considering the large "Fump Truck" text on his Mastodon page).

[1] https://acorn.firefox.com/latest/content/inclusive-writing/o...

Re: Leaving Mozilla

#296

Post by DANmode »

jlarocco wrote: post #284
Latty wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Look, I absolutely agree it sucks they didn't deliver the opt-out/in interface day one, it was obvious people would want it, and yes, it's not the first time they've blundered. At the same time, they did listen to the feedback and deliver. It now has a genuinely good interface for it where you don't have to opt out of everything, but can opt-in where you want it. It's not just a big off button, it's a general out-out…

I think Firefox gets hated on more than the others because they advertise putting the user in control but in practice they seem to undermine it at every opportunity. A browser that puts users in control should make features like AI and advertising opt-in because there is a sizeable group of people who are concerned about those things. It's meaningless if they only put users in control who agree 100% with Mozilla's wa…

Say what you need to say: Google pays the bills over there,

it’ll never be an effective, scrappy organization again as long as that’s the case.

Re: Leaving Mozilla

#297

Post by krautburglar »

altairprime wrote: post #294
krautburglar wrote: post #290

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Corporations get up to so many rotten things, most of which are entirely legal, but shouldn't be. Mozilla Corporation thanks you for the free ball-washing & PR work. If you reach out to their non-profit parent, you may even be able to deduct this on your taxes.

> Mozilla Corporation thanks you for the free ball-washing & PR work I already left Mozilla in disgust, and I completely agree that corporations should, to use in-kind language, 'get fucked', so you may have misread. Don't mistake being corrected about the legality of a corporate structure for supporting it personally. > Corporations get up to so many rotten things, most of which are entirely legal, but shouldn't be…

> Don't mistake being corrected about the legality

Never wrote that it is illegal. Wrote that I would like to see them all perp walked.

> What are you doing that will productively combat capitalism?

I rendered my energies to honest businesses instead of antitrust insurance policies LARPing as charities. Doesn't matter what the economic system is when the public and its agents abandon morality. Mitchell Baker will still be Mitchell Baker.

Re: Leaving Mozilla

#298

Post by eklavya »

Melatonic wrote: post #283
eklavya wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used Firefox and made sure everybody in my circle family and social used it. I had donated 5$ to Mozilla when I was making 360$ per month. I believed in mozilla, I was naive. Soon after I learned the money didn't go to Firefox. They soon after launched a political campaign in my country. I realized this and every other fancy they had, was where my money was going. Stopped using it and stopped caring a long while ba…

What was the campaign?

Can't remember now it was at least 10-13 years ago.

Re: Leaving Mozilla

#300

Post by aboardRat4 »

prmoustache wrote: post #178
aboardRat4 wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IRC's UI is horrible. (Like email.) No wonder people don't want to join it. (Saying that as someome who has his own bouncer.)

I am puzzled by this comment. IRC is a protocol, it is not a software and doesn't have an UI. IRC clients do, and they aren't all the same.

Lol. You must be from the "wayland is just a protocol" bunch.

UI(IRC) = MIN_{c \in clients : #user(c) > 100 } UI(c)

But even if you take "max" and not "min", it's still horrible.

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