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Mozilla has angered a significant chunk of the non-profit's userbase by announcing that they'll be implementing ads. More specifically, Mozilla says that the non-profit is developing something they're calling "Directory Tiles," which will present new Firefox users with sponsored thumbnails (aka ads) alongside of recommended or frequently-visited websites in the new tabs page of the browser. Visually the shift is minor; that page will go from something like this, to something more like this. It's also worth noting up front that it's a "feature" that users will be able to rather easily turn off with the push of one button.
A Mozilla blog post explains the new effort as such:
Quote:"Directory Tiles will...suggest pre-packaged content for first-time users. Some of these tile placements will be from the Mozilla ecosystem, some will be popular websites in a given geographic location, and some will be sponsored content from hand-picked partners to help support Mozilla’s pursuit of our mission. The sponsored tiles will be clearly labeled as such, while still leading to content we think users will enjoy."
The change isn't very exciting, it's not very major, and can be easily disabled. So why are a lot of Firefox users annoyed? It appears that a lot of the problems start with Mozilla being intent on refusing to call the ads what they are, while insisting the changes are somehow a great innovation in browsing. Mozilla's general counsel Denelle Dixon-Thayer, for example, tells CNET that the company is tired of being a "window into the web" -- insisting that these ads (without calling them ads) will bring more value to the end user: Quote:"We wanted to get away from being this window into the web that doesn't bring value," to users, she said. "We looked at it from the perspective of how much value are we bringing to the user? We're not focused on bringing the most revenue into Mozilla," she said."
Mozilla VP Darren Herman takes things a step further by insisting that previously Firefox was a "dumb window," and the practice of throwing a few ads on a page will somehow make for a completely improved and smarter browsing experience: Quote:"Late last year it made a big hire in former kbs+ Ventures chief Darren Herman, who joined as VP, content services, who will lead Mozilla's ad and content efforts. "Mozilla is moving from a dumb window to the internet to a smart agent on behalf of the user, putting the user first," Mr. Herman said."
Except you threw a few paid ads on a launch window, you didn't revolutionize recombinant gene technology. The kind of rhetoric Mozilla's using is the sort you'd expect from a cable company, which love to insist that the new $5 monthly fee on your bill isn't to make money, it's to "improve the customer experience." Mozilla is a nonprofit organization, and for more than seven years around 85% of their funding has come from Google for being the browser's default search engine. While most people wouldn't fault them for wanting to have a broader revenue stream, refusing to call a spade a spade clearly isn't helping the sales pitch.
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ya I don't use FF but I can tell you this if you take a apple and a orange and place them next to the other the Apple is still a fucking apple, and the orange is still a fucking orange. you shouldn't deni that you are placing ads in your users face most don't even like to look at them and the flash ads don't help those that highly sensitive to flickering lights... (plus the animated and audio ads are annoying as fucking hell) you go to a site to look at the site not the fucking ads... i'm wondering if the browser heads have their heads up their ass like the copy right maximalists
(Feb 20, 2014, 06:14 am)ddoking007 Wrote: you shouldn't deni that you are placing ads in your users face most don't even like to look at them and the flash ads don't help those that highly sensitive to flickering lights... (plus the animated and audio ads are annoying as fucking hell) you go to a site to look at the site not the fucking ads... i'm wondering if the browser heads have their heads up their ass like the copy right maximalists
no... you need to read the first post.
mozilla isn't forcing it's users to watch or listen to ads. it's just placing some 'bookmark-like' links in it's start page witch can be removed or even changed some something as simple as a left click.
microsoft and apple already include pre-installed bookmarks... and they are 'for profit' companies unlike mozilla which is a 'non-profit' company.
![[Image: sponsored-tiles-marked.png]](http://cl.ly/image/3I172o2f202k/sponsored-tiles-marked.png)
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I've read the first post the thing is they are deniing that they are having ads in the users face
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(Feb 21, 2014, 20:24 pm)stormium Wrote: they aren't ads.
Agreed.
These are bookmarks / speed dials pointing to other mozilla products with convenient links to other popular websites and services.
The first time I loaded Fire Fox after installing it I did see those bookmarks, but I haven't seen them since and I'm not having advertisements forced upon me.
Every company has the right to advertise their own products and services, just be glad they are not actually "forcing" adverts. Also be aware that Fire Fox is free.
The article was simply made by a person who doesn't like Fire Fox in the first place and is trying to spread their distaste by making a big deal out of something so small.
Anyone with half a brain would realize that those bookmarks are actually non-intrusive for people who really do use the browser.
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Personally, I don't give a fuck. Firefox is a pos which I don't use, and all browsers come with pre-configured bookmarks/"tiles"/whatever marketing term they come up with next.
But "sponsored content" = companies paying Mozilla to include links to their sites in Firefox. That's advertising, no two ways about it. They're not spewing forth cash out of the goodness of their hearts, they're spending money in the expectation of a return on their investment. There is no shame in advertising, or in accepting advertising. But, ironically enough, attempting to whitewash something which isn't shameful, is shameful (mainly because it's just plain stupid).
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(Feb 23, 2014, 06:35 am)NIK Wrote: Personally, I don't give a fuck. Firefox is a pos which I don't use, and all browsers come with pre-configured bookmarks/"tiles"/whatever marketing term they come up with next.
But "sponsored content" = companies paying Mozilla to include links to their sites in Firefox. That's advertising, no two ways about it. They're not spewing forth cash out of the goodness of their hearts, they're spending money in the expectation of a return on their investment. There is no shame in advertising, or in accepting advertising. But, ironically enough, attempting to whitewash something which isn't shameful, is shameful (mainly because it's just plain stupid).
Bingo nik ....
there is no doubt that mozilla is advertising, but seeing how most people can't seem to understand that advertising in this case does not constitute ad placements, mozilla took extra steps in attempting to convey that idea... and for reasons i fail to understand... people still don't seem to get it.
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Feb 23, 2014, 14:48 pm
(This post was last modified: Feb 23, 2014, 15:21 pm by Switch. Edited 12 times in total.)
Have you been living under a rock?
Havent you heard all the open source projects are being tainted by a Madman in the whitehouse who want's to control the entire world?!?
The fact Mozilla is being sucked into it, is no surprise at all, they where the first people to introduce Geo.location.tracking as a feature in the Browser with the other's following suit soon after...
If your concerned by recent developements as anyone in there right mind would be, dont forget to voice your protest!
It's not just Mozilla though, it's every project under the Sun, Microsoft's trusted Computing platform (untrusted)
Apple iPhone / iPad all involved in it too...
Google Android - the developers submitted there revision to Kernel.org and the FOSS developers instantly rejected the idea of having a Kernel that run's as little more than a glorified Chroot (False root Shell) whilst caching active programs in Memory with PMEM... an now it's all coming out in the wash, your android phone makes you a Drone target, whilst letting them harvest and steal all your Data...
Not to put too fine a point on it but advertising & marketing is what is ruining the internet & they're getting 20 Million a year to do it, whilst they're striping you of your privacy rights and selling your information for additional profits, as if people are some kind of comodity to be bought and sold.
Who the hell looks at adverts anyway?!?
We all see enough of the damn crap on the T.V.
An to add insult to injury, you probably bought your P.C the same as I did, to enjoy freedom of the flow of information, only now they want to control the flow of everything and shovel adverts in your face! Saddly the internet doesnt work that way and when it does no one will want to use it!
There are hundreds of projects that revolve around security and privacy, if you want security, then go download OpenBSD it's always been free open source software and it's sponcered by DARPA to boot!
A big too fingers to service providers me thinks!
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