ZDNET
I've been using Firefox, on and off, for a very long time. After all, it's been the default web browser for Linux for as long as I can remember. But I'm finally moving on from Firefox and all of its clones.
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This time it feels permanent. Every other time I migrated away from Firefox (or a Firefox fork), it felt temporary, like I'd soon return, after using whatever browser I adopted, because Firefox was always there for me (and Linux).
The problem is Mozilla
But this time… I can't imagine going back. Even to a clone, like Zen Browser, which I've really enjoyed using. The problem isn't Zen Browser or any of the Firefox forks. The problem isn't really a Firefox issue (more on that in a bit). The problem is Mozilla.
You see, Mozilla is a company, and companies have to have income to keep the lights on. There's nothing wrong with that, but when those running said company have shown signs that they don't quite understand how to steer an open-source ship.
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Take, for instance, back in 2022, when Mitchell Baker, Mozilla's CEO (at the time -- she's now gone), was found to have received a significant pay raise of over $6.9 million. This drew criticism and ire from people around the world, especially given A) how Firefox was struggling to keep up with other browsers' market share, and B) how Mozilla's income was suffering. It was not a good look then, and it's not a good look now.
And there were all the layoffs, even during a time when Mozilla was flush with cash. That was a move no one could understand. It was looking as if Firefox was about to reclaim its glory days, and then, wham, the staff was cut. About the same time, it seemed Mozilla decided to shift its focus away from its core user base. Yes, I'm talking Linux and open-source enthusiasts.
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