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New Mozilla CEO: "[Firefox] will evolve into a modern AI browser" (blog.mozilla.org)
submitted 10 months ago by to c/firefox@lemmy.world
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[–] 9 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Ignore all the AI stuff. I do not want my web browser to ever "evolve" into "more than a web browser". I want it to be a web browser. I do not want an "ecosystem" of related products. I want a web browser.

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  • [–] 1 point 10 months ago (1 child)

    I agree that would be ideal, but if you look at how Firefox lost popularity over the last decade, it's obvious that "just a browser" doesn't seem to cut it anymore in todays integrated IT landscape if you want a relevant marketshare, making sure you don't just get ignored when sweeping changes are made by the likes of Google and co.

    I'd say let them cook, he seems at least to know that respecting user choice and clear communication is important to make sure people don't lose trust in your brand, something that the previous leadership didn't demonstrate tbh. The browser landscape is depressing enough, i don't think it can get much worse.

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  • [–] 3 points 10 months ago*

    I'll stick with "just a browser", specifically one derived directly from Firefox (FF being free software is the only good thing about FF that Mozilla won't revoke or change). Mozilla lost my custom and I'm not responsible for cheerleading for them.

    Check out the reply to this from the lead of the Waterfox project. Would I rather use a browser by the guy promising to turn my browser into an "ecosystem" of tools, or the one saying:

    "Waterfox will not include LLMs. Full stop."

    "The browser’s job is to serve you, not to think for you. That core Waterfox principle hasn’t changed, and it won’t."

    "If AI browsers dominate and then falter, if users discover they want something simpler and more trustworthy, Waterfox will still be here, marching patiently along. We’ve been here before. When Firefox abandoned XUL extensions, Waterfox Classic preserved them. When Mozilla started adding telemetry and Pocket and sponsored content, Waterfox stripped it out. I like to think that where there is want for a browser that simply respects you, Waterfox has delivered."

    "Waterfox exists because some users want a browser that simply works well at being a browser. The UI is mature - arguably, it has been a solved for problem for years. The customisation features are available and apparent. The focus is on performance and web standards."

    And hey, because Waterfox is a Firefox fork, that oh so precious user agent data people love to bring up to dissuade people from leaving poor Mozilla to shrivel up is still telling websites 'yep, this is a Gecko engine browser'.

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