6 ms·

Seeing this list makes me wonder: is Mozilla the only major software development nonprofit? (Feel free to interpret "major" however you want if you answer the q

by nathcd 6y ago

Seeing this list makes me wonder: is Mozilla the only major software development nonprofit? (Feel free to interpret "major" however you want if you answer the question.) Regardless of one's feelings about Mozilla, the layoffs are really disheartening. And - sorry for the spicy take - I'm bummed to see Facebook and Amazon on this list. It would be nice to see other nonprofits on the list, but it's doubly disappointing to not see any and to also see the worst of tech's forprofits here. To go from Mozilla to Facebook would be quite the swing. (Of course, if people need jobs and Facebook/Amazon are what are most immediately available to them, I can't blame them. But I certainly hope that many that are looking for a new job are in a position to be picky.)

tw1423214 6y ago
It perpetuates misunderstandings to have them repeated so often, or repeated in a way that's sure to lead to misunderstanding. Mozilla Foundation is technically a "non-profit", but the company that develops Firefox is not. The non-profit does not fund any of the software development. Corporate revenue from the commercial business partnerships is what funds that, and it's able to cover 100% of it and then some.
- haukilup 6y ago
  It seems to be a for-profit commercial company that is fully owned by the non-profit. IANAL, so I don't know the complexities involved with the setup. It's more complicated than trying to say that the "Mozilla that people think of" is not a non-profit. The Mozilla that I think of seems to be a combination of both.
RJIb8RBYxzAMX9u 6y ago
They are not, but they are perhaps the most consumer visible (because web is eating everything). For less "sexy" non-porfits, there's Apache Software Foundation ("where software goes to die"), and of course Free Software Foundation (gcc, nano, etc.).
kgraves 6y ago
There's Linux Foundation isn't there? Seems to be growing strong.
- pabs3 6y ago
  The LF is a trade association (501c6) rather than non-profit/charity (501c3).

by nathcd 6y ago

tw1423214 6y ago

It perpetuates misunderstandings to have them repeated so often, or repeated in a way that's sure to lead to misunderstanding. Mozilla Foundation is technically a "non-profit", but the company that develops Firefox is not. The non-profit does not fund any of the software development. Corporate revenue from the commercial business partnerships is what funds that, and it's able to cover 100% of it and then some.

haukilup 6y ago
It seems to be a for-profit commercial company that is fully owned by the non-profit. IANAL, so I don't know the complexities involved with the setup. It's more complicated than trying to say that the "Mozilla that people think of" is not a non-profit. The Mozilla that I think of seems to be a combination of both.

RJIb8RBYxzAMX9u 6y ago

They are not, but they are perhaps the most consumer visible (because web is eating everything). For less "sexy" non-porfits, there's Apache Software Foundation ("where software goes to die"), and of course Free Software Foundation (gcc, nano, etc.).

kgraves 6y ago

There's Linux Foundation isn't there? Seems to be growing strong.

pabs3 6y ago
The LF is a trade association (501c6) rather than non-profit/charity (501c3).