It’s not just about technical problems, it’s much much more. It’s ads everywhere, AI everywhere, no privacy everywhere, it’s like literally intruding your computer. They are trying to own your computer. If that isn’t a problem for you, I have to sadly tell you: you have a problem.
They might eventually try to pressure Firefox as well, as google is actually the largest funding contributor to Firefox. I wonder what the Open Source license dictates with the GECKO engine that firefox maintains? Could somebody make a fork and profit off of it or would we be forced to a different browser framework entirely?
Firefox and (all I think) of its components are licensed with the MPL 2.0. This means everyone is free to fork it and build their own product with it (free or for profit is not a criteria for FLOSS licenses), given that changes to the forked code must be made publicly available.
I can think of no greater gift they can give Firefox.
Yes, I know there are better browsers, but Firefox will probably see the biggest bump in users.
Most people don’t care sadly. They will just accept adblock is dead and move on, just as many people accept windows being shit.
or maybe most people don’t actually have problems, and it’s only a small vocal minority that really has huge complaints?
It’s not just about technical problems, it’s much much more. It’s ads everywhere, AI everywhere, no privacy everywhere, it’s like literally intruding your computer. They are trying to own your computer. If that isn’t a problem for you, I have to sadly tell you: you have a problem.
They might eventually try to pressure Firefox as well, as google is actually the largest funding contributor to Firefox. I wonder what the Open Source license dictates with the GECKO engine that firefox maintains? Could somebody make a fork and profit off of it or would we be forced to a different browser framework entirely?
The biggest effort so far (Ladybird) isn’t using it, nor are they using the Servo engine Mozilla got partway through building for FF.
I don’t know why, though.
It wouldn’t be the first time they screwed over extension developers (see XUL extensions being discontinued)
Firefox and (all I think) of its components are licensed with the MPL 2.0. This means everyone is free to fork it and build their own product with it (free or for profit is not a criteria for FLOSS licenses), given that changes to the forked code must be made publicly available.
They are the primary backer of Firefox. I guarantee they are already pressuring Mozilla to follow suite.