If the premise here is that Google is the evil empire, why is Google still on the Home Page when running Firefox?? Apparently large sums of money can have an effect on ethics.
Obviously the underlying goal here is a plea for more FF marketshare, but it's a tad hypocritical if the message is to not use services from a company you're promoting yourself. That's do as I say, not as I do type stuff.
Keep mind that Google was initially installed as the default search engine years ago, because FF users voted for it to be so. Only after Google saw how many search referrals they then got from FF, did they, that is Google, suggest an actual deal (which paid, incidentally, only a few percent of the market value for those referrals.). That deal doesn't include anything preventing users from changing the defaults.
Consider as well the Awesome Bar. The ability to search your history easily resulted in fewer users going back to Google and generating search referrals. Mozilla implemented it anyway, because it was good for the user.
You seem to be missing the point that overthrows your assertion. Yes, there is still a deal with Google, but Mozilla doesn't care if doing and advocating what's good for the user makes that relationship less and less valuable for Google. They are, in fact, sacrificing potential financial gain for the sake of their principles.
Mozilla has numerous, egregious faults, but this kind of hypocrisy and ethical lapses aren't among them.
> Mozilla doesn't care if doing and advocating what's good for the user makes that relationship less and less valuable for Google. They are, in fact, sacrificing potential financial gain for the sake of their principles.
Ahh, No. They're biting the hand that feeds them while they're still being fed, which just makes them look tacky. They admittingly see the writing on the wall, with declining mind and marketshare to Google which is what's prompted this post - which isn't in the users best interests, it's what's in their own. Users also end up using what they believe is the best or most convenient choice. Which is fine, everyone has the right to do what's best for themselves.
It's not like they have a choice now, the other choice here is to shut down the company.
That's also why they launched Firefox OS, they hope in the future to depend less on Google.
It's not hypocritical. Google pays Mozilla to be the default search engine, and this is the main source of Mozilla's money.
If you don't want them to be so dependent on Google, then donate - every dollar you donate to Mozilla brings them closer to being independent from Google: https://sendto.mozilla.org/page/contribute/Give-Now
Obviously the underlying goal here is a plea for more FF marketshare, but it's a tad hypocritical if the message is to not use services from a company you're promoting yourself. That's do as I say, not as I do type stuff.