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Mozilla’s Relationship with Google Gets “Complicated”

posted on December 22, 2008


When the company that supplies 88% of your revenue, launches a competing product, labeling the situation as "complicated" is a bit of an understatement, wouldn’t you say?

"Complicated" is the word chosen by Mozilla’s CEO to describe Google’s foray into the web browser business.

"We have a fine and reasonable relationship," John Lilly, Mozilla’s CEO, said in an interview last week. "But I’d be lying if I said that things weren’t more complicated than they used to be."

With Google Chrome now out of beta, and Mozilla’s Firefox already battling Microsoft’s Internet Explorer for market share, the last thing Mozilla needs is this double threat. A threat to its market share, and its revenue.

Of course, Mozilla needn’t worry. Google will simply make the claim that it’s not a competitor–then quietly gobble up all that Mozilla has.

Have you switch to Google Chrome? If so, what browser did you convert from?

PS. 4.68% of MP readers used Google Chrome over the past 30 days–up from 3.39%.


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  • http://www.seo-theory.com/ Michael Martinez

    Although I still have Internet Destroyer set as my default browser, I use Google Crumb out of habit because of its speed and navigational flexibility. I absolutely hate Firesucks, which is about as braindead a browser as I have ever seen.

    Crumb still has some compatibility issues with certain types of Web content. Nonetheless, it’s better to see a page load quickly AND be able to navigate easily than to fume at Internet Destroyer or Firesucks.

    Michael Martinez’s last blog post..If the universe is 13 billion years old …

  • http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/ jim

    I now use Chrome and I switched from Firefox because it’s a monster of a memory hog.

    jim’s last blog post..Researching A Refinance

  • http://franklinbishop.net/ Blog Expert

    I hate Google Chrome. It doesn’t have what Firefox does.

    Blog Expert’s last blog post..8 More Kick-Ass Blog Headlines

  • http://conversations.purecaptures.com Matthew Block (@mattblock)

    I switched to Chrome as soon as the beta was released. Every now and then it still has its quirks, so I keep Explorer and Firefox around as well, but Chrome is my main browser. I was using IE before that. I’d never really gotten into using Firefox; I’m betting that switching from IE to Chrome was an easier decision that Firefox to Chrome would have been.

    Matthew Block (@mattblock)’s last blog post..Gaining the Edge through Social Media: A case study of two vet hospitals

  • http://www.asthemoonclimbs.com Mary H Ruth

    I’ve been using Chrome and I like it a lot BUT I don’t think it’s out of Beta in actuality, whatever Google says. Several sites and applications won’t work through Chrome and until they iron out these important glitches, I have to fall back on IE.

  • Jacob P.

    @Matthew Block:

    Yes, and I was using Firefox when Chrome came out. Which is why I didn’t really switch. I mostly use Firefox, but I often use Chrome. It’s kind of confusing. But, one thing that Firefox has over Chrome for me is that it’s cross-platform and I use Firefox in Linux. Then again, sometimes Firefox is a bit slow in Linux. :-\

    If you have a slow computer / slow Internet use Chrome. Otherwise, I would use Firefox because it is soooo wonderfully customizable.

  • http://www.whiteafrican.com hash

    My main browser is still Firefox, but I test Chrome out on my desktop from time-to-time. It’s okay, but nothing blows me away, plus the extensions I really use aren’t available. In other words, I don’t see a reason to switch from FF to Chrome as my main browser yet.

    hash’s last blog post..Maker Faire Africa Logo: Win $250

  • http://thehoustonmacbro.blogspot.com houstonmacbro

    I use FF because I really do like the extensions and don’t mind the speed hit I take compared to Safari or Camino (even better).

    houstonmacbro’s last blog post..What I’ve done so far on winter break

  • Gerald

    Although i use google chrome from time to time testing it, I still prefer using Firefox because of the extensions. or add ons.

    The 1st problem I had with google chrome was when it blocked the log-in page of one of my account because of security warning. I didn’t experience the same security warning using Firefox v3. What google should have done is to just show the warning without preventing the user from logging-in.

    Preventing the user from logging-in to his account is like confiscating the key to the house of the owner just because there was a problem with the lock.

  • http://www.favbrowser.com Vygantas

    Chrome is too light for me, I need functions

    Vygantas’s last blog post..News Posters Wanted at FavBrowser.com

  • Henry Hudson

    What percent of your readers are on Firefox?

  • http://www.marketingpilgrim.com Andy Beal

    @Henry – close to 50% if I recall correctly.

  • http://saadkamal.com Saad Kamal

    I ‘almost’ moved to chrome…but something happened and slowly i started to realize that its far from ‘complete’. :)

    Saad Kamal’s last blog post..Credibility is more Important than On-Page Optimization

  • http://orangejack.com Rob Williams

    Chrome is my default now. Switched from firefox. I still like ff, but Chrome is faster and lighter. As for the addons Chrome is missing, I’ve found I can do almost everything I did in ff through bookmarklets.

    Rob Williams’s last blog post..Merry Noel

  • http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/ Joshua Dorkin @ BiggerPockets.com

    Complicated is the new “Dear John”.

    Anyone have any predictions for the future of FF?

    Joshua Dorkin @ BiggerPockets.com’s last blog post..Fortune Magazine’s 10 Worst Real Estate Markets for 2009.

  • http://thewutzup.com thewutzupphilippines

    My boss is now using google chrome. He asked me to download one but i guess I have to stick with mozilla because of the fact that i am used to it already.

    thewutzupphilippines’s last blog post..David Pomeranz shares love for Pinoys

  • http://www.BluetoothStereoSpeakers.com speaker

    Can’t blame for G for competing with their customers. I don’t want them to succeed in everything they do, but you can’t blame them….

    Haven’t used Chrome yet.

  • http://www.newhomessection.com Jayson

    I use Chrome occasionally when FF fails (happens more often than I like). Chrome is way quicker and clean; it would have me sold if it didn’t make me feel handicap from the lack of tools. I’m sure they’ll be here soon…I can’t imagine FF holding it’s market share for too long, especially with things getting so complicated ;)

  • http://www.webdesignbeach.com/ We

    Competition can be just a good thing in browser market. Users will have better quality, and wider specter of browsers to choose from for favorite.
    Just like Microsoft, Mozilla should worry on getting more quality to their browser.
    I just gave a try to Google Chrome, and that is all. I am still with Firefox because of wonderful extension that are very helpful. Until some competitor don’t brings something similar or better, i won’t be changing my browser.

  • http://www.spike.com/blog/wii-fit-personal/71786 Wii Fit

    It is very complicated issue. It need much more analysis.

  • http://www.ps3forfree.org.uk Tony

    I’ve been using FF since version 1.5 or there abouts. But since v3 I’ve noticed that it does really start to hog memory. I keep meaning to try Chrome, but still haven’t got around to it. I think that as Chrome is backed by Google, then like everything they do, it’ll be adopted by quite a large base of users. I don’t think Google would have spent all the time and money developing a browser if they didn’t think they could capture a large proportion of the market share.

  • http://thehoustonmacbro.blogspot.com houstonmacbro

    Well, another obvious reason I do not use it is that there is no native version for Mac OS X.

    houstonmacbro’s last blog post..What I’ve done so far on winter break

  • http://www.afhill.com/blog Andrea Hill

    It took a long time for Firefox to reach the market share it has, and that’s at a point where IE really had no serious competition.

    Although google IS google, I don’t see them having as easy a time with adoption. Most of the folks I know who’ve tried chrome are developers, who did it out of interests’ sake. It’s almost like Safari for PC.. it’s an option, but I don’t know that it serves a huge need for the general population.

    Personally, I’d be interested in checking it out, but I’m a mac user. Until google releases something not solely intended to be an IE-killer, I won’t be too worried about it..

    Andrea Hill’s last blog post..Develop an Effective Online Marketing Campaign by Asking ‘Why’ Not ‘What’

  • http://www.relationshipsaver.org/ Steven Harmision

    Google is a good search engine of any other site. I do not using FF version for reason.
    http://www.relationshipsaver.org/

  • http://www.fairytalebaby.com jason kuiper

    Firefox is a machine, I love using it! I think it has sooo much more to offer.

  • http://www.velvetblues.com Shirley

    Yes, when I heard of Chrome I was very surprised because only weeks earlier, I had heard that Google had a pretty tight relationship with Mozilla in which they supplied the bulk of their revenue. So this will be interesting.

    You know what they say… Keep your enemies close. haha. Google is definitely capable of that! :-)

    I am sure that Google will slowly pull back on funding Mozilla until it crumbles into despair or is picked up by Microsoft or Yahoo which would love their search engines to be the default homepage. lol.

    Shirley’s last blog post..Google Maps’ Street View Helps Fight Crime!

  • http://www.netage.co.za Goran Web Design

    Google… Very tricksy fellows over there.. But you can’t fault their drive.. And anyway, was anyone really surprised when they launched their browser?

  • http://www.dataflurry.com DF Marketing SEO

    It works out great for all of us, they will work harder to provide better products!!! Woohoo

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