If I paid for Firefox, I'd perhaps be a little irked, but given I've never given Firefox a penny, I'm happy for them to try and get me to spend money on their things (even though as a Euro, I can't yet - I think the VPN's US only?).
If anyone from Firefox is reading this - please hurry up and allow me to pay for your product. I'd dearly like to!
- ed: typos
That's one of the ridiculous parts of this: They're just reselling Swedish VPN provider Mullvad's [1] product. That product (which also supports Wireguard, yay!) is available worldwide for €5/month. You can even pay by "anonymized identifier string and cash in an envelope" if you are so inclined.
Come on, Mozilla – just keep on making the world's best browser (and the world's last free browser). Stop paying your CEO millions. Stop making bookmarking services. Stop reselling VPN services. Just act as a shovel for money to go into the pockets of talented browser developers!
People hate Mozilla for taking money from Google. People also seem to hate Mozilla for trying to earn money from somebody other than Google.
How do you recommend they pay for browser+engine development?
Current funding levels would go a lot further if the organization cut everything that isn't a mechanism to support the browser developers. Why does Mozilla need a CEO making millions? Why do they need a bay area HQ?
Said differently: I have no problem with how Mozilla raises money (although I do have some doubts about how much they'll make by reselling a €5 VPN service for $5, even taking into account discounts), I have a problem with how Mozilla spends money.
So you just need this sentence: "Come on, Mozilla – just keep on making the world's best browser (and the world's last free browser). Stop paying your CEO millions."
You don't need: "Stop making bookmarking services. Stop reselling VPN services."
So, I can finally give Firefox 50p a month! (Or whatever their share of the charge is - not a heck of a lot, I imagine).
Because people want to use their browser to browse. They don't want to be advertised to while they're trying to work or otherwise get on with their hectic lives.
They also don't want to hear about silly TV shows while they're browsing.
All things Mozilla needs to learn.
I just don't get the irritation here.
My web browser is my single-most used application and I've never paid Firefox a bean for it. If they want to promote an extension to their service that they presumably feel is relevant to a percentage of their userbase, then they should go for it - even if the likes of you or I don't really care for it.
The Mr. Robot promotion was a screw up, no denying it.
Considering that was nearly 3 years ago, I think they learned.
Mozilla: not everyone watches the same TV shows as you... not everyone wants a VPN like you. Is it a diversity problem? Do they need to hire people outside their bubble?
Lol and Coca-Cola is delicious and refreshing so it's arguably in line to put it on the side of a bus when it goes past people who are thirsty.
I don't want your product shoved in my face, no matter how awesome you think I should find it.
There is no markup, it's actually about 15% cheaper.
Because ads suck.