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The browser war was based on distribution, not marketing. Now this will be a war based on money, not distribution. Will Google continue to pay and support Mozi

The browser war was based on distribution, not marketing. Now this will be a war based on money, not distribution. Will Google continue to pay and support Mozilla Foundation? Because once that's gone...

siong1987 18y ago
Google just signed a 3 years deal with Mozilla. So, personally, I don't think that Google Chrome would be direct competitor to Firefox. They are in fact in two different market - normal browsing VS web application. Refer: http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/08/28/mozilla-extends-lucrative-deal-with-google-for-3-years/ http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/08/28/mozilla-extends-lucrati... http://blog.lizardwrangler.com/2008/08/26/firefox-summit-reflections/ http://blog.lizardwrangler.com/2008/08/26/firefox-summit-ref...
- nickb 18y ago
  They're definitely competing but Google knows that browser usage stats don't change overnight so they're just hedging their bets. So it doesn't matter whether Firefox or Chrome wins, Google wins in the end.
- fauigerzigerk 18y ago
  So firefox (or IE or Safari or Opera) doesn't compete in the market for running web applications? That's news to me.
geuis 18y ago
Distribution was the marketing. The big blue e was all the marketing/branding they needed. Most users associate the Internet with that damn icon.
- alaskamiller 18y ago
  I meant distribution as in partnering with AOL to use IE, leveraging Windows monopoly consumer side and enterprise side, and arguing with the DoJ on software tying. In terms of marketing, Microsoft did very little compared to Mozilla.
netcan 18y ago
That is an interesting question. (An is it evil question ). I guess it comes down to what they are trying to achieve with the browser in the first place. Is it improving the web experience or creating a dominant browser? I think it's likely that the latter will creep in once they're at it for a few years. But for now the first seems to be a pretty important goal. For now, Firefox is a pretty important way to further that goal. And for now, Google seems happy enough to sink some cash into that goal. $15m-$20m p/y is probably a reasonable sum (compare to other expenses in this area) as long as A: Firefox significantly improves the web for users & B: That is a Google goal that they're willing to pay for. It's not charity either. What's default search worth on the open market? Probably something.

siong1987 18y ago

Google just signed a 3 years deal with Mozilla. So, personally, I don't think that Google Chrome would be direct competitor to Firefox. They are in fact in two different market - normal browsing VS web application. Refer: http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/08/28/mozilla-extends-lucrative-deal-with-google-for-3-years/ http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/08/28/mozilla-extends-lucrati... http://blog.lizardwrangler.com/2008/08/26/firefox-summit-reflections/ http://blog.lizardwrangler.com/2008/08/26/firefox-summit-ref...

nickb 18y ago
They're definitely competing but Google knows that browser usage stats don't change overnight so they're just hedging their bets. So it doesn't matter whether Firefox or Chrome wins, Google wins in the end.
fauigerzigerk 18y ago
So firefox (or IE or Safari or Opera) doesn't compete in the market for running web applications? That's news to me.

geuis 18y ago

Distribution was the marketing. The big blue e was all the marketing/branding they needed. Most users associate the Internet with that damn icon.

alaskamiller 18y ago
I meant distribution as in partnering with AOL to use IE, leveraging Windows monopoly consumer side and enterprise side, and arguing with the DoJ on software tying. In terms of marketing, Microsoft did very little compared to Mozilla.

netcan 18y ago

That is an interesting question. (An is it evil question ). I guess it comes down to what they are trying to achieve with the browser in the first place. Is it improving the web experience or creating a dominant browser? I think it's likely that the latter will creep in once they're at it for a few years. But for now the first seems to be a pretty important goal. For now, Firefox is a pretty important way to further that goal. And for now, Google seems happy enough to sink some cash into that goal. $15m-$20m p/y is probably a reasonable sum (compare to other expenses in this area) as long as A: Firefox significantly improves the web for users & B: That is a Google goal that they're willing to pay for. It's not charity either. What's default search worth on the open market? Probably something.