249
submitted 3 days ago by commander@lemmy.world to c/firefox@lemmy.ml
top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] maniacalmanicmania@aussie.zone 50 points 3 days ago

Thunderbird is funded by donations and operates under the MZLA banner.

These articles today are doing a disservice to the Thunderbird team who work independently of Mozilla afaik.

[-] Niquarl@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 days ago

As written in the article

Moz doesn't contribute financially to Thunderbird's development, according to Sipes, and whatever revenue the Thunderbird team generates will go straight into furthering its work.

[-] limer@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 3 days ago

Few know how things are structured. Or more importantly, how it could be restructured later.

[-] maniacalmanicmania@aussie.zone 10 points 3 days ago

These articles purport to be written by journalists though. Fact checking is meant to be a staple of the job description.

load more comments (5 replies)
[-] lemmeBe@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Independently of the Mozilla team, yes.

However, my understanding is that, if Thunderbird were to become ~~hugely~~ profitable, the Mozilla Foundation would benefit financially, though indirectly.

The organizational structure:

  • Mozilla Foundation = parent organization
  • MZLA Technologies Corporation (which owns Thunderbird) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Mozilla Foundation
  • Mozilla Corporation (which produces Firefox) is also a subsidiary of the Foundation

When Thunderbird moved to MZLA Technologies Corporation in January 2020, this was specifically done to allow Thunderbird to "collect revenue through partnerships and non-charitable donations".

As a wholly owned subsidiary, any profits generated by MZLA would ultimately flow back to its parent organization, the Mozilla Foundation.

In the end, that revenue would probably go to all the smart investments we've seen the Mozilla Foundation make over the previous years. 🙄

[-] Vincent@feddit.nl 2 points 2 days ago

You're right, but I think "hugely profitable" is probably optimistic - I'd expect something to the level of Proton or Fastmail. Fine, but not a big money maker like Firefox is.

load more comments (1 replies)
[-] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 2 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Thunderbird really needs to be a totally separate thing

Mozilla is the new Google at this point. Google set the bar in hell so everyone else can get away with a lot.

[-] madjo@feddit.nl 61 points 3 days ago

They’re looking for a sustainable revenue stream because the Google subsidy is bound to dry up.

[-] SkaveRat@discuss.tchncs.de 43 points 3 days ago

if they manage to make it an actual good product and also not host it in the US, they might even be able to pull it off

[-] BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 42 points 3 days ago

Just be Proton without the support for fascism. Easy.

[-] arakhis_@feddit.org 8 points 3 days ago

isnt the proton ceo praising trump publicly?

[-] NKBTN@feddit.uk 3 points 2 days ago

Congratulated him on day 1, I don't think said anything since

[-] arakhis_@feddit.org 1 points 2 days ago

which means its ok for you. I cant follow

[-] cortex7979@lemm.ee 2 points 2 days ago

fascism

Huh? What did I miss

load more comments (1 replies)
[-] Niquarl@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 days ago

They are thinking of having the user choose the juridiction. So far their testing is hosted in the EU apparently.

[-] FarraigePlaisteach@lemmy.world 3 points 3 days ago

I'd need to be able to choose a non-US server too. And even then, all the major tech firms breached EU laws by later transferring data back to the US. But if I had to trust an American company Mozilla would be among the better choices.

[-] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 2 points 3 days ago

Isn't Mozilla a US company?

Somehow I don't see them leaving the place where they do business

[-] beyond@linkage.ds8.zone 13 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Thunderbird and Firefox are developed by separate companies (both under the Mozilla Foundation). Thunderbird is funded through donations. Firefox is funded through (among other sources, such as Pocket and advertisements) the Google search deal. As far as I know it's not legally feasible (or even possible) for the Firefox money to go to Thunderbird or vice versa.

[-] null_dot@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 days ago

Article says revenue from this won't fund firefox.

[-] brisk@aussie.zone 23 points 3 days ago

I really hope this doesn't impact the client too significantly. A substantial part of why I use Thunderbird is to keep out of these "ecosystems".

[-] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 11 points 3 days ago

I'm sure Mozilla will run a heathy and sustainable project straight into the ground.

That's what they do

[-] brisk@aussie.zone 5 points 3 days ago

Mozilla doesn't run Thunderbird

[-] Vincent@feddit.nl 4 points 2 days ago

Well... The Mozilla Corporation doesn't. But both the Corporation and MZLA (which makes Thunderbird) are owned by the Mozilla Foundation.

But yeah, the different org does probably matter.

[-] LWD@lemm.ee 1 points 2 days ago

I think the purpose is to find a source of revenue so that they don't have to ruin their product. There's a lot of potential good here, in addition to the unfortunately undeniable potential bad.

[-] unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de 37 points 3 days ago

Ah yes the move from software developer to service provider. Smells like en(shit)tification.

Lets hope they do this right unlike everyone else.

[-] morrowind@lemmy.ml 19 points 3 days ago

Smells like en(shit)tification.

What are the parenthesis here for? Without it would be "smells like entification"??

[-] unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Smells like shit...

Smells like (en)shit(tification) looks kinda shit.

[-] itslilith 3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Smells like en**shit**tification

[-] limer@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 3 days ago

I’m cynical and already looking at forks

[-] Vincent@feddit.nl 2 points 2 days ago

Good for you, but those forks too owe their existence (among other things) to the donations (and down the road subscriptions) to Thunderbird.

[-] pory@lemmy.world 3 points 3 days ago

Swapped to waterfox a while ago. Copied the profile folder over and boom, done, no more mozilla corp in my browser.

load more comments (2 replies)
[-] brunox@feddit.cl 3 points 3 days ago

¿forks of email and calendar services?

[-] Rozauhtuno 12 points 2 days ago

Sounds like good news. I just hope they won't put some bullshit in the TOS saying they can scan your emails to train their AI.

[-] jagged_circle@feddit.nl 5 points 2 days ago

Uh oh. The reason gmail is profitable is because they see all your emails and sell your profile to others.

I dont want Mozilla doing that.

[-] Niquarl@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 days ago

In the article it says they will have no ads and no data mining. The user will pay for the service.

[-] umbrella@lemmy.ml 22 points 3 days ago

when they said they would look for a way to monetize firefox i was worried, but this is actually great if they make a good service.

[-] d3lta19@lemmy.ca 3 points 3 days ago

I agree. I would love to see a competitor to gmail/office365 that respects privacy

load more comments (2 replies)
[-] network_switch@lemmy.ml 17 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Always felt like this needed to happen for long time now. I guess now better than never. Got to figure out a business model. Reselling Mullvad as Firefox VPN was a start. I feel like everything that Proton does, Firefox should be doing but with a Linux file manager application

[-] HurlingDurling@lemm.ee 11 points 3 days ago

Would be great if they create a real competition to proton mail

[-] jackalope@lemmy.ml 11 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

This is great news!

People should check out thunderbird appointments if they haven't.

[-] twinnie@feddit.uk 7 points 3 days ago

I hope they’re going to keep the late 90s theme from Thunderbird. Maybe a dancing baby gif.

[-] maniacalmanicmania@aussie.zone 12 points 3 days ago

Have you used Thunderbird lately?

[-] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 2 points 3 days ago

What do you consider 90's?

I use Thunderbird and it is anything but 90's

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments
view more: next ›
this post was submitted on 02 Apr 2025
249 points (100.0% liked)

Firefox

19343 readers
94 users here now

A place to discuss the news and latest developments on the open-source browser Firefox

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS