• @[email protected]
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    2510 months ago

    You could have said the same for Internet Explorer some years ago, and they got their lunch eaten despite being free AND the default owned by a monopoly

    • @[email protected]
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      -210 months ago

      Yes but Internet Explorer had massive issue, nowadays it’s Firefox that has compatibility issue, doesn’t have a platform where its default (Microsoft has windows/edge, android/chrome, iPhone/safari) and no meaningfull advantage on the other.

      The cards are stacked against it, if only they could use Google money to get some advantage, like a better design. Right now if I open Firefox there is 3 row of sponsored clickbait articles. The reason I paid money for Mac is because I was fed up of the very same bullshit on windows, make something lean, sleek that works well and people might use it but here it’s a kind of dinosaur software that is even filled with sponsored articles.

    • @Aux
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      -410 months ago

      The difference is that Google had the capital and a monopoly itself. Mozilla doesn’t have shit.

      • @zuch0698o
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        310 months ago

        Except and arguably better product in the browser space?

        • @Aux
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          010 months ago

          Both Mozilla and Opera had better browsers.

        • @Aux
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          010 months ago

          Yeah, they’re pretty much owned by Google, thus not a competitor.

          • @[email protected]
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            510 months ago

            Google paying Firefox explicitly to make Google the default search engine. That doesn’t mean they own Firefox in any way shape or form. Firefox routinely makes anti Google decisions, and acts against googles interest. It’s pretty clear they aren’t googles bitch.

            • @Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In
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              110 months ago

              Most of the revenue of Mozilla Corporation comes from Google (81% in 2022). They have influence.

              The excuse of search engine funding is a fig leaf for the US and monopoly laws.

              • @[email protected]
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                110 months ago

                Google pays every browser they can to make Google the default search engine. Including direct competitors, and companies that have a direct interest in going against Google. Companies like Apple, who butt heads with Google regularly.

                That doesn’t mean they have influence.

                • @Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In
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                  110 months ago

                  Agreed. Those other companies don’t rely on Google for 80% of their income. That’s where the influence occurs.

                  • @[email protected]
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                    110 months ago

                    Can you point to an example of Mozilla bending the knee, in the slightest, on a subject Google would want them to have a different opinion than normal on?

                • ElectricMachman
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                  110 months ago

                  However, if Google decided one day to yank 80% of Mozilla’s income…

                  • @[email protected]
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                    110 months ago

                    Yeah that would be problematic to an extent. But I doubt that’ll happen, and if it did I’m sure it would continue just in a slower/reduced capacity.