3 ms·

I honestly think that Wikipedia should buy Mozilla to fund Firefox

weikju 2y ago
They should directly buy Firefox and let Mozilla perish
somenameforme 2y ago
I don't think most people realize how huge Mozilla is. Their annual revenue has been flirting breaking a billion dollars for some time now and was ~$500 mil as of 2023 - primarily due to 'partnering' with Google, which was always a bellwether to anybody who cared to see it. Wikimedia has never broken $200 million per year. In other words, it's Mozilla that could buy Wikipedia, not the other way around.
- thorw93040494 2y ago
  But how much goes into firefox development? Maybe 2% of revenue like with Linux Fiundation and Linux kernel? Mozilla is ads company, it does activism, outreach, it organizes Marxist conferences, management gets paid millions... Firefox development is just tiny fraction of what Mozilla does. And frankly Wikipedia has the same overhead problem as Mozilla.
  - wruza 2y ago
    https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41620146 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41620146
    - thorw93040494 2y ago
      》 Mozilla isn’t just another tech company — we’re a global crew of activists, technologists and builders, all working to keep the internet free, open and accessible. 》 “Mozilla isn’t your typical tech brand; it’s a trailblazing, activist organization in both its mission and its approach,” https://blog.mozilla.org/en/mozilla/mozilla-brand-next-era-of-tech/ https://blog.mozilla.org/en/mozilla/mozilla-brand-next-era-o... I do not doubt they employ 750 people. I am saying they have tons of other projects. If you go throught their blog posts, Firefox has tiny fraction of posts.
      - wruza 2y ago
        Yep, I linked that subthread cause it puts some actual numbers into perspectives.
bhaney 2y ago
The Wikimedia Foundation has developed many of the same corruption issues that Mozilla has. It would just be kicking the can down the road, and not very far at that.
qingcharles 2y ago
They have enough cash in the bank to fund development, so...
dredmorbius 2y ago
Any particular reason to buy what they can fork regardless?

They should directly buy Firefox and let Mozilla perish

I don't think most people realize how huge Mozilla is. Their annual revenue has been flirting breaking a billion dollars for some time now and was ~$500 mil as of 2023 - primarily due to 'partnering' with Google, which was always a bellwether to anybody who cared to see it. Wikimedia has never broken $200 million per year. In other words, it's Mozilla that could buy Wikipedia, not the other way around.

thorw93040494 2y ago
But how much goes into firefox development? Maybe 2% of revenue like with Linux Fiundation and Linux kernel? Mozilla is ads company, it does activism, outreach, it organizes Marxist conferences, management gets paid millions... Firefox development is just tiny fraction of what Mozilla does. And frankly Wikipedia has the same overhead problem as Mozilla.
- wruza 2y ago
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41620146 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41620146
  - thorw93040494 2y ago
    》 Mozilla isn’t just another tech company — we’re a global crew of activists, technologists and builders, all working to keep the internet free, open and accessible. 》 “Mozilla isn’t your typical tech brand; it’s a trailblazing, activist organization in both its mission and its approach,” https://blog.mozilla.org/en/mozilla/mozilla-brand-next-era-of-tech/ https://blog.mozilla.org/en/mozilla/mozilla-brand-next-era-o... I do not doubt they employ 750 people. I am saying they have tons of other projects. If you go throught their blog posts, Firefox has tiny fraction of posts.
    - wruza 2y ago
      Yep, I linked that subthread cause it puts some actual numbers into perspectives.

bhaney 2y ago

The Wikimedia Foundation has developed many of the same corruption issues that Mozilla has. It would just be kicking the can down the road, and not very far at that.

qingcharles 2y ago

They have enough cash in the bank to fund development, so...

dredmorbius 2y ago

Any particular reason to buy what they can fork regardless?