Mozilla just recently announced their plans to restructure in a blog post titles Changing World, Changing Mozilla.
From the announcement:
Mozilla exists so the internet can help the world collectively meet the range of challenges a moment like this presents. Firefox is a part of this. But we know we also need to go beyond the browser to give people new products and technologies that both excite them and represent their interests. Over the last while, it has been clear that Mozilla is not structured properly to create these new things — and to build the better internet we all deserve.
Today we announced a significant restructuring of Mozilla Corporation. This will strengthen our ability to build and invest in products and services that will give people alternatives to conventional Big Tech. Sadly, the changes also include a significant reduction in our workforce by approximately 250 people. These are individuals of exceptional professional and personal caliber who have made outstanding contributions to who we are today. To each of them, I extend my heartfelt thanks and deepest regrets that we have come to this point. This is a humbling recognition of the realities we face, and what is needed to overcome them...
Top comments (8)
This is sad for the entire tech community. Hope they find new projects that they are excited about.
Always sad
They should have gone for deeper loyalty from their fan base of hackers and other misfits, instead of going for larger overall audience share. I remember when Firefox first came out. EVERY website by anyone remotely involved in open source and/or free culture was giving Firefox free advertising, "this site best viewed on Firefox," or even "this site tested only on Firefox." Killing Addon SDK was the final nail in their coffin. And now there will be no open-source web browser (unless for some sick and twisted reason Chromium counts as open source in your book). The dream of the web we could have had is indeed foreclosed.
I guess I've never really thought about it, but how does Mozilla make money?
Turns out they get paid royalties by Google to be the default search engine.
Source
2018 Mozilla Financial Report
If your competitor is paying you, then maybe you already lost.
They announced a "Firefox Premium" last year and my first thought was "nobody's going to pay for that."
A sad day indeed this covid year is quite destructive to all industries. It could be years before we can recover from it.