Mozilla phancies doing a Phorm

Noreen · May 19, 2008, 18:37:20

QuoteThe Phorm bug is spreading. The idea of collecting a user's browsing history and flogging that data doesn't just appeal to ISPs. The Mozilla Foundation, the people behind the Firefox browser, want some of that action too.................

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05/19/firefox_data_snoop/

Rik · May 19, 2008, 18:39:29

QuoteCryptome puts it more succinctly - "Firefox Ponders Suicide".

Couldn't agree more. If they go ahead, I'll be gone...

ST Driver · May 19, 2008, 19:03:55

Quote from: Rik on May 19, 2008, 18:39:29
Couldn't agree more. If they go ahead, I'll be gone...

to some place nice and hot?

Rik · May 19, 2008, 19:07:27

Somewhere musical at a guess.

Sebby · May 19, 2008, 19:13:45

Quote from: Rik on May 19, 2008, 18:39:29
Couldn't agree more. If they go ahead, I'll be gone...

Same here. IE isn't that bad...

I think Opera's a serious alternative.

Ray · May 19, 2008, 19:15:44

Quote from: Rik on May 19, 2008, 18:39:29
Couldn't agree more. If they go ahead, I'll be gone...

Me also.

Rik · May 19, 2008, 19:18:56

Quote from: Sebby on May 19, 2008, 19:13:45
I think Opera's a serious alternative.

And musical.

Sebby · May 19, 2008, 19:19:32

Simon · May 19, 2008, 20:35:17

That's quite worrying! Opera might be a feasible alternative, but last I heard, it was getting more bloated than Firefox. Hope IE8's good!

Lance · May 19, 2008, 21:22:41

Well, IE7 was a step in the right direction, so IE8 should be almost there!

Dazbobaby · May 22, 2008, 05:37:44

what's more amazing are the people who use firefox are tech savvy people. Thats a loss of almost all users world wide if they do go ahead.

Tacitus · May 22, 2008, 08:33:10

Quote from: Lance on May 19, 2008, 21:22:41
Well, IE7 was a step in the right direction, so IE8 should be almost there!

We've been hearing this, "...next version is the one which will fix everything and even make the tea..." from MS since the days of DOS3. I'm surprised anyone still believes them.

madasahatter · May 22, 2008, 09:10:46

Quote from: Dazbobaby on May 22, 2008, 05:37:44
what's more amazing are the people who use firefox are tech savvy people. Thats a loss of almost all users world wide if they do go ahead.

Yeah - but how many of those users actually give mozilla any money, so how much of a loss would they actually be?

Rik · May 22, 2008, 10:58:35

In which case, why do they produce it in the first place? Mozilla are not without money...

madasahatter · May 22, 2008, 11:03:03

Quote from: Rik on May 22, 2008, 10:58:35
In which case, why do they produce it in the first place? Mozilla are not without money...

That's true Rik, and obviously there is the cachet of being able to say that your product is ised by X thousand or X million users, but I was just trying to say that Mozilla wouldn't actually lose anything if a load of peeps stopped using FF since they are not really gaining anything from all those users in the first place.

Rik · May 22, 2008, 11:15:27

Well, the gain from the Google clicks of course, and from the merchandise. If FF was abandoned, then I think they could have major problems. Simple answer, to me, is that they invite donation or sell it.

Simon · May 22, 2008, 11:22:55

I wonder if this will affect SeaMonkey? As it's now independent from Mozilla, I would hope not, which would make it a very viable alternative to Firefox.

Rik · May 22, 2008, 11:25:22

What it says on the website would give me pause for thought, Simon:

SeaMonkey and the SeaMonkey logo are registered trademarks of the Mozilla Foundation.

Portions of this content are © 1998–2008 by individual mozilla.org contributors; content available under a Creative Commons license

Simon · May 22, 2008, 11:28:44

I think the actual suite is being developed independently, Rik, but still carries the Mozilla badge. It will be interesting to see what happens.

Rik · May 22, 2008, 11:30:00

I guess it's a 'watch this space'...

Simon · May 22, 2008, 11:30:41

Indeed.

scook94 · May 22, 2008, 20:33:31

Good reading on this here...

http://john.jubjubs.net/2008/05/13/mozilla-firefox-data/

"Rudiger, Tom, tekonaut, nobody plans to make this spyware, I tried to make it clear that we'd only do this by figuring out a way to be very very opt-in, the data would be open to everyone, and not personal in any way. That's why we're talking about it in the very early stages as we explore the space.

I hear your concerns; take them very seriously. Feedback is what we're after."

Simon · May 22, 2008, 21:12:09

Seems that the general feeling is that they can take a running jump if they introduce tracking data. I'm not even sure I would trust a 'very very opt-in' system, as how does one know for certain that you haven't been 'opted-in' without your knowledge?

scook94 · May 22, 2008, 21:50:44

the first line of defence...?

http://www.dephormation.org.uk/

madasahatter · May 23, 2008, 06:32:06

Quote from: Simon on May 22, 2008, 21:12:09
Seems that the general feeling is that they can take a running jump if they introduce tracking data. I'm not even sure I would trust a 'very very opt-in' system, as how does one know for certain that you haven't been 'opted-in' without your knowledge?

I'm sure that I wouldn't trust it Simon - it'd be back to Opera for me before you could say hoobygalooby