4 ms·

What do you think is holding Firefox back from doing the same?

samsonradu 9y ago
That’s a good question. I’d assume they have to little of a market share and is too fragile to piss off anybody. But this is just a guess so looking forward to other opinions on this.
aphextron 9y ago
>What do you think is holding Firefox back from doing the same? Probably the fact that Google pays them billions of dollars.
- Chaebixi 9y ago
  > Probably the fact that Google pays them billions of dollars. Isn't that over? Their default search engine is Yahoo now, IIRC.
  - ovao 9y ago
    Google is now the default search provider in U.S. and Canada.
  - 2xlbuds 9y ago
    No, they made a new deal with google and ended theirs with Yahoo late last year. http://www.zdnet.com/article/googles-back-its-firefoxs-default-search-engine-again-after-mozilla-ends-yahoo-deal/ http://www.zdnet.com/article/googles-back-its-firefoxs-defau...
starsinspace 9y ago
Good question... I often wonder why Mozilla talks so much about privacy and user-rights, but then in reality does so little in Firefox to implement them by technical means. Why isn't their tracking-blocking the best among major browsers? Why is Firefox still so easily fingerprintable, as confirmed by EFF's Panopticlick? But then again when you know the recent stories like Firefox+Cliqz... it doesn't really leave questions open...
- stinkytaco 9y ago
  Well, they are transparent about it: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/privacy/firefox-cliqz/ https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/privacy/firefox-cliqz/ I agree that setting default options that respect privacy is good, but I also feel Mozilla has struck the balance between "best customer experience and a revenue stream", plus "informing the customer so they can make decisions".
  - starsinspace 9y ago
    > but I also feel Mozilla has struck the balance between [...] My impression is that those who don't care about privacy have already switched to Chrome long ago, and see little reason to go back. And from those who do care, an increasing number (including me) is considering leaving FireFox due decreased trust in Mozilla's self-proclaimed privacy standing. I do wonder which target audience will be left to use FireFox after all then.
    - stinkytaco 9y ago
      I'm not sure what's left after Chrome and FF. Safari if you are on a Mac and IE on Windows (though IE seems imperfect). I suppose you can use a FF derivative like Ice Weasel. For my money, Mozilla is still the best option and with so many free options out there, it's hard to keep up unless you play the game somewhat. Mozilla's most important role is a seat at the web standards table and if they wither on the vine because users jump to Chrome because it "just works", they will lose that seat.
    - manmal 9y ago
      The number of people who care about their privacy in the general population is quite small. We in our tech bubble believe that everybody cares, or should care, but most are satisfied if they find a searched page by entering it “into the Google”. Those with FF installed it 10y ago when it was sexy, and stuck with it because they are resistant to change.
dingdongding 9y ago
Firefox is doing it but as a separate browser for iOS. Wonder why not on desktop yet. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/focus https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/focus
sercand 9y ago
Firefox has "Tracking Protection"* setting under "Privacy & Security". * https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/tracking-protection https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/tracking-protection

That’s a good question. I’d assume they have to little of a market share and is too fragile to piss off anybody. But this is just a guess so looking forward to other opinions on this.

aphextron 9y ago

>What do you think is holding Firefox back from doing the same? Probably the fact that Google pays them billions of dollars.

Chaebixi 9y ago
> Probably the fact that Google pays them billions of dollars. Isn't that over? Their default search engine is Yahoo now, IIRC.
- ovao 9y ago
  Google is now the default search provider in U.S. and Canada.
- 2xlbuds 9y ago
  No, they made a new deal with google and ended theirs with Yahoo late last year. http://www.zdnet.com/article/googles-back-its-firefoxs-default-search-engine-again-after-mozilla-ends-yahoo-deal/ http://www.zdnet.com/article/googles-back-its-firefoxs-defau...

starsinspace 9y ago

Good question... I often wonder why Mozilla talks so much about privacy and user-rights, but then in reality does so little in Firefox to implement them by technical means. Why isn't their tracking-blocking the best among major browsers? Why is Firefox still so easily fingerprintable, as confirmed by EFF's Panopticlick? But then again when you know the recent stories like Firefox+Cliqz... it doesn't really leave questions open...

stinkytaco 9y ago
Well, they are transparent about it: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/privacy/firefox-cliqz/ https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/privacy/firefox-cliqz/ I agree that setting default options that respect privacy is good, but I also feel Mozilla has struck the balance between "best customer experience and a revenue stream", plus "informing the customer so they can make decisions".
- starsinspace 9y ago
  > but I also feel Mozilla has struck the balance between [...] My impression is that those who don't care about privacy have already switched to Chrome long ago, and see little reason to go back. And from those who do care, an increasing number (including me) is considering leaving FireFox due decreased trust in Mozilla's self-proclaimed privacy standing. I do wonder which target audience will be left to use FireFox after all then.
  - stinkytaco 9y ago
    I'm not sure what's left after Chrome and FF. Safari if you are on a Mac and IE on Windows (though IE seems imperfect). I suppose you can use a FF derivative like Ice Weasel. For my money, Mozilla is still the best option and with so many free options out there, it's hard to keep up unless you play the game somewhat. Mozilla's most important role is a seat at the web standards table and if they wither on the vine because users jump to Chrome because it "just works", they will lose that seat.
  - manmal 9y ago
    The number of people who care about their privacy in the general population is quite small. We in our tech bubble believe that everybody cares, or should care, but most are satisfied if they find a searched page by entering it “into the Google”. Those with FF installed it 10y ago when it was sexy, and stuck with it because they are resistant to change.

dingdongding 9y ago

Firefox is doing it but as a separate browser for iOS. Wonder why not on desktop yet. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/focus https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/focus

sercand 9y ago

Firefox has "Tracking Protection"* setting under "Privacy & Security". * https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/tracking-protection https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/tracking-protection