Mozilla Gets Its First Partners for Ads in Firefox

[Exterminator]

Content source

http://news.softpedia.com/news/mozilla-gets-its-first-partners-for-ads-in-firefox-491609.shtml

The ads will be displayed in the Live tiles
Mozilla wants to keep Firefox profitable, and one of the means to do that is with ads. They can't just slap them all over the place, so they are going to be shown in the tiles, where they should be the least problematic.

Users don't like ads in their products, and they certainly don't enjoy them in an application that is built to surf the Internet, a place full of ads itself. On the other hand, Mozilla wants to make money, and it's not longer making $240 million dollars a year from its Google partnership. Yes, you read that right, but that was all the way back in 2012.

Firefox is no longer ahead of Google Chrome, and Google is not giving Mozilla the same kind of cash that it used to, so they need to get that money through other means. Ads inside the browser seem like the only idea that's left on the table.

Users won't be thrilled
The community made it clear that they wouldn't tolerate this, but on the other hand, the community doesn't seem to have a lot of power. Suggested Tiles have been available in the US version of the browser for some time now, so this "feature" has been in the works for a while.

Mozilla is saying stuff like "improve the state of digital advertising," "promoting content," "adding value," and so on. This is some first-class corporate jargon, but in the end, it all means the same thing: ads in the browser. To be fair, for now, Mozilla is not getting any money, and it's working with partners like Make-a-Wish Foundation.

"Since early August, we have been delivering promoted content provided by our first wave of partners including Yahoo, a number of top-tier news titles including Fortune Magazine and Quartz, and mission-oriented partners such as the Make-a-Wish Foundation and the Electronic Frontier Foundation," noted Mozilla's Darren Herman.

Privacy is an issue, and they know it
Mozilla has been keen to remind everyone that they don't intend to collect any kind of data, that the ads will be transparent, and that users will be able to know why they see a particular ad.

Even with all the assurances, it will be a hard pill to swallow for the users and it remains to be seen just how well Mozilla will disguise this.

 

[hjlbx]

You just knew that was gonna happen...

 

[Exterminator]

You just knew that was gonna happen...

All good things must come to an end To play devils advocate,ads make money and in the end even if something is free it really is not.

 

[Cats-4_Owners-2]

All good things must come to an end To play devils advocate,ads make money and in the end even if something is free it really is not.

The first part of your statement reminded me of how my mother used to gently break it to me when it was time for us to start thinking about going home from some place difficult to walk away from as a kid ..like Disneyland, up to the devil's advocate part. From there, my mom would have worded it a bit more bluntly by dismissively pointing out how nothing is ever free, "..and anything called a Firefox has to be some kind of racket!"

 

[Kate_L]

I think it's time for me to call it over and search a new browser

 

[MalwareT]

Firefox,thou shall not pass ! I ❤ Opera,so i think it will be my only web browser

 

[Atlas147]

Something that can't be avoided, they are not getting much revenue in the first place, and in the past they used to focus their efforts into getting donations, which didn't go so well. This is probably their last resort and I'm sure they won't go overboard with the ads that it would force users to jump ship

 

[illumination]

I seriously do not understand why people make such a fuss about things like this. First off, why do people expect software developers to work hours on end coding for free? Secondly, the live tiles reside in the "new tab" opening, which if memory serves me well, can be adjusted in the menu to show your homepage or what ever else set up you like, as FIrefox is completely customizable. Which leads me to my 3rd point, about:config, when have you never been able to disable or enable anything you need having full access to the code?

 

[Exterminator]

I seriously do not understand why people make such a fuss about things like this. First off, why do people expect software developers to work hours on end coding for free? Secondly, the live tiles reside in the "new tab" opening, which if memory serves me well, can be adjusted in the menu to show your homepage or what ever else set up you like, as FIrefox is completely customizable. Which leads me to my 3rd point, about:config, when have you never been able to disable or enable anything you need having full access to the code?

The only tiles I ever see are my speed dial tiles which are my homepage.As @illumination stated above just because they are going with ads does not mean you should jump ship in search of another browser and the ads are not taking away the customization options.
As the article says it has been out in the US for a while and I have not noticed it at all.

 

[marg]

I can live with Static Ads. I do not like flash in your face & in Your Face pop up video's..! I have had less trouble with Firefox than any other Browser as far as getting CRUD installed on my computer. As a matter of fact, since using Firefox I have had ZERO Crud installed on my computer..!

 

[Cats-4_Owners-2]

On the topic of Firefox incorporating add tiles now and into the future, I shall not stress upon what has not yet come to pass. Personally, I've frustrated far more over the functionality/performance (yes, privacy & security are ever a premium) which this, one of our favorite browsers of all time, happens to address countless times like clockwork. If this is what Mozilla requires to continue developing an excellent browser, I'll sit tight and continue to chime in about the browser with which many have had something of an ongoing relationship. Whether we currently use the bright orange 'Fox' or not, there continues to be a collection of Gecko sourced alternatives. Although Firefox is no longer the default on our Windows 8.1, each of our linux distros, Windows 7, & even XP, sport this fine working (for the most part) browser. Just yesterday, I installed Firefox Beta (just a bit buggy) on our Android Tablet which crashes less than it's stable sibling! This all indicates I'll continue to return to Firefox.
Back on topic: Tile Adds? I have not noticed them (yet) so I suppose this conversation is "..to be continued."

 

[darko999]

Tried Pale Moon in the past and never came back to FF, also tried Cyberfox and found it to be better than FF as well. It's 2015 having a native x64 browser is cool for people like me, FF does not offer me that too; but some ads and a plugin container crashing often, privacy fails with every update and a regular performance. If FF were like top notch 10/10 performance and feature shining browser I'd deal with all these issues, but it's not.

 

[Ink]

I seriously do not understand why people make such a fuss about things like this.

Assuming this option remains, I think most would be happy with the changes about Live tiles - not to be confused with Live Tiles on Windows.

 

[Amiga500]

Does not deter me from firefox in the slightest.Couple of mouse clicks and the issue is solved.

 

[jamescv7]

Mozilla like others follows that free products resides with donations or advertisement in order that revenues are counted at all which should understand by users around. However its up to the developers how aggressive may implemented.

Barely few will make a program as a full free program without any cents. Be practical these days.