I think I've used Firefox for about 17 years. Most of the time it's been my main and default browser. During that time, I worked for the Mozilla Foundation for 3 years.
So, given the recent news, it really pains me to even think about switching to Chromium. But, miracles aside, I can't see how Firefox as a browser is going to survive in 2021 with its current market share and resourcing levels 😔
@markosaric I didn't see that news, but:
1. People currently see Mozilla as the champion of open source, privacy, and free software
2. Google uses Firefox as a get-out-of-jail-free card for antitrust cases
Given the last 10 years of failed projects outside of Firefox (and the increasing failure of Firefox itself) I can't see a path to profitability without completely selling out.
@dajbelshaw thanks for sharing! hoping they figure things out because if mozilla/firefox fail things may get much worse for the health of the web overall
the news about the new deal is here https://www.zdnet.com/article/sources-mozilla-expected-to-extend-its-google-search-deal/
@markosaric Ah, thanks!
This bit concerns me, and like others have commented, makes me think that Mozilla might discontinue Gecko in future:
"However, several sources have confirmed that the organization is sound financially, and the layoffs were part of a restructuring of its core business, with Mozilla moving away from its current role of internet standards steward and experimental approach to its product catalog to more commercially-viable offerings that generate revenues on their own."
@dajbelshaw @markosaric To be fair, they acted more as a web standards stalwart. There is more to the internet still.
Ugh, I want to write about *that* but I have a ton of other things to do.
@unwesen Yeah, we can't rely on one (or a just a handful) of orgs to keep the web open
Ok, ok, I'm not going to be able to resist *entirely*.
The web is broken. #mozilla and #firefox are only the latest casualty.
Between the too-fast standardization of XMPP, and the "standardization" of HTML5, we basically have nothing that glues the web together except for the interests of large corporations like Google. W3C has become a joke.
And those events I'm talking about? Ten years ago, give or take.
IMHO instead of lamenting Mozilla, focus on the future. 1/
ASIDE
Why XMPP? Well, it was an attempt at using then-web technology like XML to build distributed, asynchronous, federated systems.
It still exists and works, of course, but interoperability is punted to the application layer. Except for sending messages.
And yes, I am painting too negative a picture. I'm aware. This is a quick rant, after all.
END ASIDE 2/
So the future, what should it bring?
IMHO
a) distribution/decentralization. Take your pick, argue about the differences.
The #fediverse is a decent starting point, but it's still built on client-/server technology that favours at least partial centralisation.
I would prefer a real #p2p approach.
3/
b) identity management/end-to-end encryption.
It kind of follows from the #p2p angle, but looking at... /me gestures around ... there really is no other choice.
Strapping LetsEncrypt and TLS onto HTTP connections just punts *all* questions of privacy to centralized locations, mostly under corporate control.
One cannot get upset at Cambridge Analytica and also defend technology that favours centralisation.
Well, one can, but it isn't really thinking far enough. 4/
c) re-focus on data exchange/synchronisation, not apps.
HTML and web pages and JavaScript are a *super neat* solution for a world in which data exchange is hard.
By mixing data with representation *and* manipulation logic, you neatly side-step the issue of finding ways for exchanging the data itself.
And in the meantime, you also happen to create a silo for your data. When that silo is owned and run by a corporation... well we've been there.
HTML must die. 5/
We're not going to solve this immediately. Actually, I don't expect this to be solved for another decade or so.
But I've been seeing these issues creep up for a long time, and my biggest regret is that I didn't try harder to do something about it before.
Earlier this year, I started the #interpeerproject - basically to build this.
Realistically, it's a barely funded one person project at the moment, but the year has given me some hope. https://interpeer.io/
/RANT
˗ˏˋ Doug Belshaw ˎˊ˗ 🇪🇺☠️✊:
Marko Saric
Jens Finkhäuser ¯\_(ツ)_/¯