4 ms·

This is a pretty massive change. Eich was technology/standards focused. Someone from the product/marketing side is ok as long as they get Mozilla is really a

This is a pretty massive change. Eich was technology/standards focused. Someone from the product/marketing side is ok as long as they get Mozilla is really a technology product company (business and marketing is easier when technology/products are the base focus and you don't lose developers targeting the platform). I am a little concerned that a switch was flipped at Mozilla when the former Chief Marketing Officer is now CEO over the CTO previously. Granted the new CEO has been around the company a while and oversaw Firefox is helpful, I just hope they keep the technology/standards as their base focus. I feel many of the things I love Mozilla for, asm.js most recently, may not be as focused as before. Also, I lost a ton of respect for Mozilla for throwing a founder under the bus.

fabrice_d 13y ago
The previous CEO (Gary Kovacs) was also a product guy, so no switch was flipped (the switch was to put a strong tech lead like Brendan as CEO). But Chris has also a technical background (he worked on porting linux to mips architectures) and he knows Mozilla in and out.
- drawkbox 13y ago
  To developers, Eich was definitely a force internally and externally and CTO as CEO means something. Switching to that then back is a change. As a founder Eich had immense input on direction. Maybe there is a vacuum now on the technology side in terms of upper management. I guess time will tell how this has truly impacted Mozilla. I am glad to hear Chris Beard has some engineering along with product/marketing. Also Kovacs was there for a while (2010-recent) but was technology product focused, previous was John Lilly (2008-2010) who very much was technology focused, and then Baker who was a lawyer at the founding and you could argue technology and standards was the Mozilla main focus for a long time since inception. Hopefully it stays that way.
pcwalton 13y ago
> I feel many of the things I love Mozilla for, asm.js most recently, may not be as focused as before. Chris Beard is the most technical person who's now marketing-focused I know. A little-known fact: he wrote the first prototype of the Firefox themes feature (formerly known as Personas).
- drawkbox 13y ago
  Information is thin on him so this is great to hear. I am still hopeful for the webgl/asm.js revolution that they are doing and hope it continues in force.
  - nnethercote 13y ago
    It's also an interim appointment. My understanding is that he's not expected to be CEO for a long time. Some tidbits about Chris: * He's a former Linux kernel hacker. * In the 90s he started a company that, among other things, ported Linux to the PA RISC. * He worked for HP and helped start up their Linux division. * He was Mozilla VP of Products for three years before becoming CMO. He has deep tech skills and deep product/marketing skills. Indeed, the board had been considering inviting him to join them (on the board) for some time.

fabrice_d 13y ago

The previous CEO (Gary Kovacs) was also a product guy, so no switch was flipped (the switch was to put a strong tech lead like Brendan as CEO). But Chris has also a technical background (he worked on porting linux to mips architectures) and he knows Mozilla in and out.

drawkbox 13y ago
To developers, Eich was definitely a force internally and externally and CTO as CEO means something. Switching to that then back is a change. As a founder Eich had immense input on direction. Maybe there is a vacuum now on the technology side in terms of upper management. I guess time will tell how this has truly impacted Mozilla. I am glad to hear Chris Beard has some engineering along with product/marketing. Also Kovacs was there for a while (2010-recent) but was technology product focused, previous was John Lilly (2008-2010) who very much was technology focused, and then Baker who was a lawyer at the founding and you could argue technology and standards was the Mozilla main focus for a long time since inception. Hopefully it stays that way.

pcwalton 13y ago

> I feel many of the things I love Mozilla for, asm.js most recently, may not be as focused as before. Chris Beard is the most technical person who's now marketing-focused I know. A little-known fact: he wrote the first prototype of the Firefox themes feature (formerly known as Personas).

drawkbox 13y ago
Information is thin on him so this is great to hear. I am still hopeful for the webgl/asm.js revolution that they are doing and hope it continues in force.
- nnethercote 13y ago
  It's also an interim appointment. My understanding is that he's not expected to be CEO for a long time. Some tidbits about Chris: * He's a former Linux kernel hacker. * In the 90s he started a company that, among other things, ported Linux to the PA RISC. * He worked for HP and helped start up their Linux division. * He was Mozilla VP of Products for three years before becoming CMO. He has deep tech skills and deep product/marketing skills. Indeed, the board had been considering inviting him to join them (on the board) for some time.