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Google directly funds the Mozilla foundation with about 300 million USD per year. If Google wanted to see firefox fall they have a very direct way of achieving

by dmm 12y ago

Google directly funds the Mozilla foundation with about 300 million USD per year. If Google wanted to see firefox fall they have a very direct way of achieving it.

annnnd 12y ago
Not true - they don't pay this money out of charity. I am guessing other companies with interest in having a leading search engine (MS and Yahoo primarily, but also Apple, Amazon,...) would probably be happy to take Google's place if they backed out (maybe not for the same amount though).
- cookiecaper 12y ago
  This could be seen as a technique to undermine Firefox and get more users to Chrome, which would devalue Firefox's contribution to Google. As Google appears to embrace standards but continues to implement little flaws and Chrome-only behaviors (that is, extend), they will eventually deplete Firefox's market share to the point where such a monetary transfer is no longer beneficial (extinguish). People always bring up the fact that there is some value currently provided by Google's payment to Firefox like there's no problem with the vast majority of the Mozilla Foundation's funding coming from a competing entity. It's still a dangerous situation, even if Google is in a position where they're willing to continue paying the "default search engine" toll for the time being. Even their willingness to do that is compassionate, because we all know that Firefox would only harm itself by switching to another default search provider.
  - annnnd 12y ago
    Agreed, most of your points are valid and it is a precarious position for Mozilla. I just disagreed with the notion that their funding could be cut off this easily - even if Google retracted I'm sure they could reach some agreement with Facebook for example. I still hope Mozilla is investing the money wisely, because this arrangement is temporary in any case. And I'm hopeful that FirefoxOS takes off!

by dmm 12y ago

Google directly funds the Mozilla foundation with about 300 million USD per year. If Google wanted to see firefox fall they have a very direct way of achieving it.

annnnd 12y ago

Not true - they don't pay this money out of charity. I am guessing other companies with interest in having a leading search engine (MS and Yahoo primarily, but also Apple, Amazon,...) would probably be happy to take Google's place if they backed out (maybe not for the same amount though).

cookiecaper 12y ago
This could be seen as a technique to undermine Firefox and get more users to Chrome, which would devalue Firefox's contribution to Google. As Google appears to embrace standards but continues to implement little flaws and Chrome-only behaviors (that is, extend), they will eventually deplete Firefox's market share to the point where such a monetary transfer is no longer beneficial (extinguish). People always bring up the fact that there is some value currently provided by Google's payment to Firefox like there's no problem with the vast majority of the Mozilla Foundation's funding coming from a competing entity. It's still a dangerous situation, even if Google is in a position where they're willing to continue paying the "default search engine" toll for the time being. Even their willingness to do that is compassionate, because we all know that Firefox would only harm itself by switching to another default search provider.
- annnnd 12y ago
  Agreed, most of your points are valid and it is a precarious position for Mozilla. I just disagreed with the notion that their funding could be cut off this easily - even if Google retracted I'm sure they could reach some agreement with Facebook for example. I still hope Mozilla is investing the money wisely, because this arrangement is temporary in any case. And I'm hopeful that FirefoxOS takes off!