5 ms·

Firefox just tried to sell me a VPN service on a new tab

12 points by jay_kyburz 4y ago

If I ever see another ad I will be done with Firefox and switch to Chromium.

__warlord__ 4y ago
Firefox engineers also need eat.
- bdcravens 4y ago
  Some companies have hired too many engineers.
- Shadonototra 4y ago
  they have plenty of money, do not worry https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Mozilla-Salaries-E19129.htm https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Mozilla-Salaries-E19129.htm and they have so much that they can increase the salary of their CEO year after year! http://techrights.org/2022/02/17/mozilla-salaries/ http://techrights.org/2022/02/17/mozilla-salaries/ also how do we call a company that depend on ADs in new tabs, but at the same time blocks ADs from the web?
- jay_kyburz 4y ago
  How about we just call the web finished, stop messing with the spec, and only fix bugs from here on in.
Vladimof 4y ago
I started to see google ads with uBlock Origin and noscript enabled... and also, the videos started to hang on youtube... what is the alternative though?
- speedgoose 4y ago
  If you deeply hate web developers, I recommend Safari. The user experience is good for end users and it makes the web developers miserables. Otherwise Edge is a good alternative to Chrome, with Microsoft trackers instead of Google trackers. Vivaldi can also be considered if you don’t mind the slower UI.
  - jay_kyburz 4y ago
    I only hate web developers who try and make money selling me things I don't need. I love all the other web developers.
  - hulitu 4y ago
    > If you deeply hate web developers, I recommend Safari. I don't hate them, but [1]. The problem with Safari is that it is too expensive (you also have to buy Apple). [1] Opinion autocensored due to site guidelines.
josephcsible 4y ago
What good will that do? Google puts stupid stuff on their new tab page all the time too.
bayindirh 4y ago
First of all, have you looked to the settings? You can turn off sponsored shortcuts in Firefox 100, and if that's a new initiative from Firefox, there's possibly another setting for that. Also, on the other hand, this doesn't make any sense. Let's see the logic. - I want an alternative, open browser. Free both in beer and speech. OK. - I also don't want said browser not to work with "bad" web corporations like Google, and accept their money. OK. - I also want no ads on this thing, even if it's only about other products of the same browser maker. OK. - I also don't want to support them monetarily. OK. - Oh, and no shady data practices! OK. So, how this company/non-profit making this very complex and sophisticated piece of software will survive with no money? Should the engineers do photosynthesis and sleep on park benches? The thing is, Firefox needs money and needs to be sustainable in doing that. I also don't like the idea of showing ads inside Firefox, but I can accept that if it's a necessary evil, and done in a responsible way (static, not very invasive, etc.). Currently, I believe survival of Firefox is much more important than a petty Mozilla VPN ad. Because I think that they need that money, and we need an open web.
- Nextgrid 4y ago
  > I also don't want to support them monetarily. OK. Not true considering there's no way to pay for Firefox development. I mean yes you can buy their shitty VPN but not only is that wasteful but would actually encourage such practices even more.
  - bayindirh 4y ago
    You can donate to Mozilla foundation [0], no? [0]: https://donate.mozilla.org https://donate.mozilla.org
    - Nextgrid 4y ago
      The browser is developed by Mozilla Corporation. Donations to the Foundation do not go to the browser's development, they go to support the foundation's other projects.
Nextgrid 4y ago
The other day I started my seldom-used Windows machine to play some games (which use an in-browser UI). Firefox started and got stuck on a tab congratulating themselves on reaching version 100. This actually delayed the loading of the URL that was supposed to open as it wouldn't load until I dismissed that popup. At least the VPN ad, as much as I hate it, has an excuse - they're trying to make money. But this? What was the point? What is the user supposed to do with it? The browser is supposed to be a tool to let you browse the internet and otherwise remain invisible; people don't install browsers because they love browsers, they install them because they have shit to do on the web. If the browser intentionally gets in the way of that it's a flawed browser. Firefox is the most user-hostile piece of open source software that I know of. Every few months it will find some new bullshit to nag you about. It's like an advertising platform - except ad platforms at least make money.

12 points by jay_kyburz 4y ago

If I ever see another ad I will be done with Firefox and switch to Chromium.

__warlord__ 4y ago

Firefox engineers also need eat.

bdcravens 4y ago
Some companies have hired too many engineers.
Shadonototra 4y ago
they have plenty of money, do not worry https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Mozilla-Salaries-E19129.htm https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Mozilla-Salaries-E19129.htm and they have so much that they can increase the salary of their CEO year after year! http://techrights.org/2022/02/17/mozilla-salaries/ http://techrights.org/2022/02/17/mozilla-salaries/ also how do we call a company that depend on ADs in new tabs, but at the same time blocks ADs from the web?
jay_kyburz 4y ago
How about we just call the web finished, stop messing with the spec, and only fix bugs from here on in.

Vladimof 4y ago

I started to see google ads with uBlock Origin and noscript enabled... and also, the videos started to hang on youtube... what is the alternative though?

speedgoose 4y ago
If you deeply hate web developers, I recommend Safari. The user experience is good for end users and it makes the web developers miserables. Otherwise Edge is a good alternative to Chrome, with Microsoft trackers instead of Google trackers. Vivaldi can also be considered if you don’t mind the slower UI.
- jay_kyburz 4y ago
  I only hate web developers who try and make money selling me things I don't need. I love all the other web developers.
- hulitu 4y ago
  > If you deeply hate web developers, I recommend Safari. I don't hate them, but [1]. The problem with Safari is that it is too expensive (you also have to buy Apple). [1] Opinion autocensored due to site guidelines.

josephcsible 4y ago

What good will that do? Google puts stupid stuff on their new tab page all the time too.

bayindirh 4y ago

First of all, have you looked to the settings? You can turn off sponsored shortcuts in Firefox 100, and if that's a new initiative from Firefox, there's possibly another setting for that. Also, on the other hand, this doesn't make any sense. Let's see the logic. - I want an alternative, open browser. Free both in beer and speech. OK. - I also don't want said browser not to work with "bad" web corporations like Google, and accept their money. OK. - I also want no ads on this thing, even if it's only about other products of the same browser maker. OK. - I also don't want to support them monetarily. OK. - Oh, and no shady data practices! OK. So, how this company/non-profit making this very complex and sophisticated piece of software will survive with no money? Should the engineers do photosynthesis and sleep on park benches? The thing is, Firefox needs money and needs to be sustainable in doing that. I also don't like the idea of showing ads inside Firefox, but I can accept that if it's a necessary evil, and done in a responsible way (static, not very invasive, etc.). Currently, I believe survival of Firefox is much more important than a petty Mozilla VPN ad. Because I think that they need that money, and we need an open web.

Nextgrid 4y ago
> I also don't want to support them monetarily. OK. Not true considering there's no way to pay for Firefox development. I mean yes you can buy their shitty VPN but not only is that wasteful but would actually encourage such practices even more.
- bayindirh 4y ago
  You can donate to Mozilla foundation [0], no? [0]: https://donate.mozilla.org https://donate.mozilla.org
  - Nextgrid 4y ago
    The browser is developed by Mozilla Corporation. Donations to the Foundation do not go to the browser's development, they go to support the foundation's other projects.

Nextgrid 4y ago

The other day I started my seldom-used Windows machine to play some games (which use an in-browser UI). Firefox started and got stuck on a tab congratulating themselves on reaching version 100. This actually delayed the loading of the URL that was supposed to open as it wouldn't load until I dismissed that popup. At least the VPN ad, as much as I hate it, has an excuse - they're trying to make money. But this? What was the point? What is the user supposed to do with it? The browser is supposed to be a tool to let you browse the internet and otherwise remain invisible; people don't install browsers because they love browsers, they install them because they have shit to do on the web. If the browser intentionally gets in the way of that it's a flawed browser. Firefox is the most user-hostile piece of open source software that I know of. Every few months it will find some new bullshit to nag you about. It's like an advertising platform - except ad platforms at least make money.