Mozilla Will Serve Ads Within Tiles Of Its New Tab Pages

https://blog.mozilla.org/advancingc...sher-transformation-with-users-at-the-center/

 

Before anyone goes nuts, it sounds an awful lot like what Opera was/is doing on their tab pages. Iirc, on first install Opera loads up their new tab page with several pre-picked, popular websites. That's not really bad, as it is all removable and some are even worth giving a shot. But, if they are planning on putting actual advertisements in some of these tiles, making them non-removable and/or changing them daily or less frequently..then I have a HUGE problem with that. I am not going to jump the gun and say screw Mozilla with one blog post like I am 1000% sure people commenting there and possibly here will do. But if I see any further hints that Mozilla is going there, I will bid them adieu and not likely come back. For if they try it once, they're more likely to try it again.

 

Note:

One is the "User Personalization" program (involves browsing history based targeted advertising, assertions suggest this will be under user control but the devil is in the details and the details of yet to be finalized programs/features aren't yet knowable). The other is the "Directory Tiles" program (involves advertising sites/contents via tiles, precisely how these will end up being targeted to the user remains to be seen).

 

An alarming contradiction

 

The UP program is no different from what Google does with Chrome and the rest of its services. That program was bound to arrive at some point, and I'm sure IE will follow down the road.

@Pinga: That statement might possibly mean that Google money they get is no longer cutting it. Or, it could just be yet another example of Mozilla being an entirely different company than they were when Phoenix hit the scene.

 

I will switch from Firefox when the Linux community does. There are always alternatives such as Chromium or SeaMonkey.

 

I'm aware of the foothold situation. We really need to work harder to find the frequency to root them all out once and for all. Hopefully, they won't make a mess of our <fingers>embarkation</fingers> room. We really don't need to be exposed to such filth as we travel the tubes. Aaaaaaannnnnddd we're walking...

 

Mo' Money Mozilla: Firefox to Introduce Sponsored Content

http://mashable.com/2014/02/11/mozilla-firefox-ads/

 

Pretty much closes the door on Firefox as a viable alternative. Not that I have used it since 3.6 - the last good version.. Now it's a bloated, slow mess that has no place on any of my machines. But once the ads start being served, it's dead in the water.

 

I don't know how users will react to it, but I'm sure some diehards will hang on. Ad dollars have become such a lucrative model that I'm sure many disturbing changes are yet to come. The drawback of course is something Twitter may be very close to finding out as well. Ad profits may increase but if the user base dwindles too low or ceases to exist, then those ads will go unseen and those profits will dry up.

 

Assuming Mozilla goes forward with this - the below may help unless it's somehow baked into the software.
New Tab Page – show, hide and customize top sites
• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/new-tab-page-show-hide-and-customize-top-sites?

 

My guess is that Mozilla is anticipating that and will make the sponsored stuff stick. Otherwise, they run the risk of having people just ignore it all and losing the money Mozilla and its partners get from it. I'm wondering how ABP will handle it and, if they do, how Mozilla will handle ABP.

 

Since this is breaking - we'll see how Mozilla reacts to this announcement.
Mozilla is clearly in bed with the IAB

 

Yeah, Mozilla has definitely changed. Google used to have good intentions too, and we see where that went. Still, it's early and we don't have that much to go on yet. Like I said before, I'll watch how things pan out and soak in all the information before I decide what to do. If they do decide to go with inescapable ads built in, then I'll just use Chrome exclusively. Sadly it's these two browsers alone that hold any interest for me.

 

For first time users only or what? Although I am a 9+ year user of Firefox, I would make another browser my default if it would extend to all users. Just by reading all the provided links makes me royally p'd off.

PS: I understand that Fx is an open source browser and have to make $$ somehow but this is IMHO not the way to do it. I would prefer paying for a browser without ads if advertising would apply to all users.

 

It wouldn't make any sense to restrict it to first time users, there's little to no money to be made. Firefox isn't gaining new and stable users by the millions, that time has come and gone.

I'm wondering if this is an indication that Mozilla is breaking away from the pocketbook of Google, or if the funding is about to take a dive. Relying mostly on a competitor to keep you alive isn't the best idea in the world. Different discussion though I admit.

 

I couldn't agree more.

 

I use a custom local bookmarks page as my "new tab" page (as well as my home page). So, it sounds like I won't see these ads unless they try to force them.

It's also possible that Pale Moon, which is what I actually use, could leave this out. I haven't seen anything on his site about it yet.

 

It completely depends on how Mozilla implements it, whether you see them or not. It just doesn't make sense to me that they would allow it to be messed with/shut off. It will be interesting to see what the various forks do for sure. As long as Mozilla keeps all the code open source, these alternatives might be able to leave out the offending features. But if for any reason Mozilla decides to go the route of Chrome and be only partly open source, well, I don't know. Everything is speculation at this point, and it may turn out to be a molehill instead of a mountain.

 

Oh siljaline, as soon as that new tab page with the dumb 9? boxes was introduced I immediately found out how to remove those boxes by going to about:config, type browser.newtab.url and changed it into blank.

 

And I wonder how much longer you'll be able to do that.

 

That's cited in the link I provided and was asked following your reply - how long will that last.

 

Believe to have seen in stats that actual use of Firefox has been dropping and don't think that when Australis is being introduced as a *firechrome*, it will gain any considerable amount of new users. IMHO could rather be the opposite. Many Fx users are dedicated and long time users and won't be pleased with the coming major changes in Firefox. Perhaps many Fx users will be driven away to Google Chrome rather than staying with a complete overhaul that needs extensions to create the old Firefox UI. The Classic Team Restorer will be a hot extension which can reintroduce many things that Australis is removing.

I remember to have read that the last contract (read $$) with Google was only reached at the last moment. Yes, but Firefox came out much sooner than Google. I need to say that I won't make Google browser my default - NEVER!!

 

That's a good question. Of course, you're right. Fx may remove the ability to make the 9 boxes disappear as Fx already has been removing various things that could be *changed* in about:fig

 

Firefox came out before Chrome, yes. But those were different days financially. Australis doesn't seem to be that big of a deal to me. But, if they really do remove a ton of config options and do this ad thing in the way we're most worried about, then I don't know what will happen to the browser. Opera didn't fare so well with its "overhaul" either.