Is Firefox exploiting its developers

[Hostpitable]

Firefox has really become a big thorn in Microsoft's flesh and for that very reason many of us love this browser. I love it even more because it's just better in many ways and less prone to crash from my experience. Now what I never liked and have always been a bit weary of is the fact that Mozilla developed into a roaring money making machine thanks to it's search box. I have no objection to making money per se but when its uses are not really clear and you still actively recruit thousands of freelance open source developers to do your work on the cheap then that becomes an issue.

Read more on the controversy on the Guardian's blog or Valleywag.

Here's a link to the .pdf of the Mozilla foundation's financial statement

[drhowarddrfine]

When a developer volunteers to do the work, you can hardly exploit them. After all, they don't have to do it. They can quit at any time.

[Hostpitable]

That's true but I am sure many would stop to do this free work if they were fully aware of Mozilla's financial means

[Raffles]

Is that from the search engines that are in the list by default when you install Firefox?

[Hostpitable]

Yes, ie. Google, Amazon, Ebay and a couple of others but apparently 85% of the profits come from Google.

[drhowarddrfine]

That's true but I am sure many would stop to do this free work if they were fully aware of Mozilla's financial means

Why? I don't know all the details other than some developers are getting paid and some officers are making money, as is Mozilla, but what does that mean and what does it prove and how is it bad? No one has given a reason for any of this being bad.

[Dan Schulz]

I have to agree with Doc here. This isn't exploitation at all. Mozilla does have bills to pay afterall.

[Hostpitable]

Well they have to pay bills but they are keeping about 40 million a year in the bank at the moment. That's the point. What's happening to this big pile of money? And if you have that much money why do other people have to do your work for you?

[tke71709]

Well they do apparently have over 100 paid employees they have to take care of.

[Dan Schulz]

Well they have to pay bills but they are keeping about 40 million a year in the bank at the moment. That's the point. What's happening to this big pile of money? And if you have that much money why do other people have to do your work for you?

Ever hear of a rainy day fund? They know that the flow of money isn't just going to keep flowing. If I was in their position, I'd keep money stashed away for emergencies as well.

[drhowarddrfine]

Well they have to pay bills but they are keeping about 40 million a year in the bank at the moment. That's the point. What's happening to this big pile of money? And if you have that much money why do other people have to do your work for you?

Red Hat makes a lot more money than that but I don't see anyone questioning their motives even though most of what they sell was, and still is, created by others.

I still see this as a gripe looking for a problem. What is the problem?

[drhowarddrfine]

Dan brings up a good point, too. Every non-profit tries to have a build up of funds, too. We don't know what their plans are but they may be intending to expand their operations in some way.