4 ms·

Just because Mozilla started Firefox, does not mean we can't question it. I have felt for a while that Mozilla isn't totally aligned with its user's interests.

Just because Mozilla started Firefox, does not mean we can't question it. I have felt for a while that Mozilla isn't totally aligned with its user's interests. For example: finding and deleting tracking cookies is still laborious in Firefox. You have to select domains one by one, hitting "Remove selected" each time. Why can't you select multiple domains at once and nuke them? Why can't it tell you which tab is using up CPU resources, so you can close it? And in "private browsing" mode: why are cookies still carried over? That's not so "private", is it?? The whole FirefoxOS thing sounded just like a solution looking for a problem. I have been in situations (Govt grants) where the grantees have too much money and will just throw it at random proposals which have no hope of working. This sounded just like that. Since they have so much money to burn, why don't they support worthwhile OSS efforts (like SSL, for example)? There are tons of little tools and libraries that we use in *nix land, that could benefit from some $$. Mozilla should offer "Mozilla fellowships" or "Mozilla sabbaticals", where they support a developer for a year or two fulltime to work on their projects. Most of Mozilla's work is done by volunteers anyways. Why should the execs get paid so much?

deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
jvehent 11y ago
Since they have so much money to burn, why don't they support worthwhile OSS efforts (like SSL, for example)? The NSS library is supported by Mozilla and Red Hat, mostly. There are tons of little tools and libraries that we use in *nix land, that could benefit from some $$. Mozilla is much more than just Firefox, Firefox OS and Thunderbird. Take a look at the hundreds of projects on https://github.com/mozilla/ https://github.com/mozilla/, for example. Mozilla should offer "Mozilla fellowships" or "Mozilla sabbaticals", where they support a developer for a year or two fulltime to work on their projects. There are many internships, community supports and developer support programs at Mozilla. The foundation also donated one million dollars to various prominent projects very recently: https://blog.mozilla.org/press/2015/10/mozilla-launches-open-source-support-program/ https://blog.mozilla.org/press/2015/10/mozilla-launches-open... Most of Mozilla's work is done by volunteers anyways I don't know if this statement is accurate. There are over 1,000 people employed by Mozilla directly working full time on the various projects. disclaimer: I work for Mozilla.
- rhizome 11y ago
  just as an aside, on HN, italics work better for quoting than pre tags.
- dig1 11y ago
  Take a look at the hundreds of projects on https://github.com/mozilla/ https://github.com/mozilla/, for example AFAIK, 99% projects out there are Mozilla specific and I don't know anyone is using them seriously.
Blahah 11y ago
All your other points have been answered, but just to add that Mozilla does offer fellowships, they are very generous and they are consistently scaling up the program. It currently covers open web technologies, journalism, and science. I think there's also a bit of confusion about what Mozilla do. The Mozilla corporation make firefox. The Mozilla Foundation that owns the corporation steward the open web, and help make open (source/access/data) the default mode of working for organisations that affect access to knowledge and technology. They are not about serving programmers with cool technology. They are absolutely about making people feel welcome and engaged in building the web. source: am a Mozilla science fellow
vmorgulis 11y ago
> ... why don't they support worthwhile OSS efforts ... They do: "Mozilla Open Source Support (MOSS) is an awards program specifically focused on supporting the Open Source and Free Software movement, with an initial allocation of USD $1 million." https://wiki.mozilla.org/MOSS https://wiki.mozilla.org/MOSS
- discardorama 11y ago
  And that is what, 0.1% of their revenue??
  - vmorgulis 11y ago
    Yes it is. https://static.mozilla.com/moco/en-US/pdf/Mozilla_Audited_Financials_2014.pdf https://static.mozilla.com/moco/en-US/pdf/Mozilla_Audited_Fi... Interesting detail about Yahoo: "In December 2014, Mozilla entered into a contract with another search engine provider for royalties which expires December 2019."

deleted 11y ago

[deleted]

jvehent 11y ago

Since they have so much money to burn, why don't they support worthwhile OSS efforts (like SSL, for example)? The NSS library is supported by Mozilla and Red Hat, mostly. There are tons of little tools and libraries that we use in *nix land, that could benefit from some $$. Mozilla is much more than just Firefox, Firefox OS and Thunderbird. Take a look at the hundreds of projects on https://github.com/mozilla/ https://github.com/mozilla/, for example. Mozilla should offer "Mozilla fellowships" or "Mozilla sabbaticals", where they support a developer for a year or two fulltime to work on their projects. There are many internships, community supports and developer support programs at Mozilla. The foundation also donated one million dollars to various prominent projects very recently: https://blog.mozilla.org/press/2015/10/mozilla-launches-open-source-support-program/ https://blog.mozilla.org/press/2015/10/mozilla-launches-open... Most of Mozilla's work is done by volunteers anyways I don't know if this statement is accurate. There are over 1,000 people employed by Mozilla directly working full time on the various projects. disclaimer: I work for Mozilla.

rhizome 11y ago
just as an aside, on HN, italics work better for quoting than pre tags.
dig1 11y ago
Take a look at the hundreds of projects on https://github.com/mozilla/ https://github.com/mozilla/, for example AFAIK, 99% projects out there are Mozilla specific and I don't know anyone is using them seriously.

Blahah 11y ago

All your other points have been answered, but just to add that Mozilla does offer fellowships, they are very generous and they are consistently scaling up the program. It currently covers open web technologies, journalism, and science. I think there's also a bit of confusion about what Mozilla do. The Mozilla corporation make firefox. The Mozilla Foundation that owns the corporation steward the open web, and help make open (source/access/data) the default mode of working for organisations that affect access to knowledge and technology. They are not about serving programmers with cool technology. They are absolutely about making people feel welcome and engaged in building the web. source: am a Mozilla science fellow

vmorgulis 11y ago

> ... why don't they support worthwhile OSS efforts ... They do: "Mozilla Open Source Support (MOSS) is an awards program specifically focused on supporting the Open Source and Free Software movement, with an initial allocation of USD $1 million." https://wiki.mozilla.org/MOSS https://wiki.mozilla.org/MOSS

discardorama 11y ago
And that is what, 0.1% of their revenue??
- vmorgulis 11y ago
  Yes it is. https://static.mozilla.com/moco/en-US/pdf/Mozilla_Audited_Financials_2014.pdf https://static.mozilla.com/moco/en-US/pdf/Mozilla_Audited_Fi... Interesting detail about Yahoo: "In December 2014, Mozilla entered into a contract with another search engine provider for royalties which expires December 2019."