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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Firefox enables user tracking (mstdn.social)

submitted 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

114 comments fedilink hide all child comments

... I mean, WTF. Mozilla, you had one job ...

Edit:

Just to add a few remarks from the discussions below:

As long as Firefox is sponsored by 'we are not a monopoly' Google, they can provide good things for users. Once advertisement becomes a real revenue stream for Mozilla, the Enshittification will start.
For me it is crossing the line when your browser is spying on you and if 'we' accept it, Mozilla will walk down this path.
This will only be an additional data point for companies spying on you, it will replace none of the existing methodologies. Learn about fingerprinting for example
Mozilla needs to make money/find a business model, agreed. Selling you out to advertisement companies cannot be it.
This is a very transparent attempt of Mozilla to be the man in the middle selling ads, despite the story they tell. At that point I can just use Chrome, Edge or Safari, at least Google has expertise and the money to protect my data and sadly Chrome is the most compatible browser (no fault of Mozilla/Firefox of course).
Mozilla massively acts against the interests of their little remaining user base, which is another dumb move made by a leadership team earning millions while kicking out developers and makes me wonder what will be next.

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[–] [email protected] 32 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Google's "just so we can claim there's competition in the marketplace" payment to Mozilla to stay the default search engine is what funds most of Firefox, even without the executive pay and unrelated nonprofit work. Building and maintaining a browser engine is not cheap, I don't think mere individual donations are going to help here.

Without the reputation and contacts of Mozilla, those devs also wouldn't have much of a say in the social side of browser development, like web standards and certificate authority programs.

I'd love a first party Firefox fork that's not limited by Mozilla's desperate attempts to stay afloat when Google decides not to keep them around anymore, but I don't think a few developers are going to be enough to get it done. The current situation, "Firefox but with very minor tweaks", is probably the best we can expect for now.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 10 months ago (1 children)

EU should donate to firefox for a free world without enshitification. I mean give the money and force no ad tracking.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago

The EU has the Horizon Europe programme for stuff like that, but I don't think Mozilla will be able to apply with their current setup. As of now, it's impossible to donate to Firefox development, you have to donate to the nonprofit that funds Firefox development, but also does tons of activist work and education funding.

Many people want Mozilla to figure out a way to only fund Firefox, but I don't think Mozilla wants to have money earmarked specifically for Firefox when they have so many projects and programmes going on.