Google & Firefox's Relationship

sebFlyte writes "More news from FOSDEM, this time about the depth of support for Firefox from Google. According to this article on ZDNet, Firefox' growth and Mozilla's staffing costs have been underpinned by the Foundation's tie-ins with Google, but they promise not to go the same way as Netscape by selling 'every bookmark and link'... and don't forget that the lead programmer (among others) is directly in Google's employ."

Comments

In related news...

[Karpe]

Google Maps is now supported by Safari. Way to go, Google!

Better than slashdot & Firefox relationship

[potcrackpot]

...given that refreshing slashdot half the time gives me no article text - and the games page has the side column (with the sections text etc.) overlapping with the main column.

Clarifications

[Gerv]

Just to clarify: Google is just one of several search partners we have at the Mozilla Foundation, although (as is fairly evident from looking at the software) it is currently the one we have the closest ties with, by virtue of them hosting the home page.

"Keeping the wolf from the door" is a bit too strong - we are establishing good relationships with a number of companies, all of whom are supporting the Foundation in different ways. My comments were merely intended to say that the Foundation is not going anywhere - we'll be around for the forseeable future.

One further clarification: Firefox localisations can change to use a localised version of Google; they are not kept to using the en-US version, as the article implies.

Gerv
(the speaker on whose comments the article is based)

Re:Clarifications

[Gerv]

I wouldn't look at it as "restrictions". We made a deal with a number of search companies to put them in the list of search engines shipped with official Firefox builds, and we made a deal with Google so that a modified version of their front page would be the start page for all official Firefox versions.

Meeting our end of the deal is hardly a "restriction"!

Gerv

Re:gBrowser on the way

[spectre_240sx]

However, which brand has more recognition between Google and the Mozilla Foundation? If and when Google releases a browser, it will be known pretty well pretty quickly just because it's Google.

Competition would be GOOD ... if there were some

[SgtChaireBourne]

Microsoft doesn't have to build a better browser. It just has to build one that's good enough.

Not even that. It just has to provide it pre-installed on every x86 machine sold, or include it as part of a 'service pack' or 'seccurity' upgrade. Or it can cajole so-called computer secuirty public service announcements to neglect to mention other options.

Firefox is still doing well despite the fact that users have to take three non-passive actions: 1 ) actively seek it out and 2) download it and 3) install it. Also, large installations are reluctant to draw attention to themselves for fear of reprisal in the form of increased MS fees and such. There are, however, ways to hide from MS.