[HN Gopher] When Google paid websites to promote Firefox
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       When Google paid websites to promote Firefox
        
       Author : leonidasv
       Score  : 51 points
       Date   : 2023-03-30 20:59 UTC (2 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (leonidasv.com)
 (TXT) w3m dump (leonidasv.com)
        
       | [deleted]
        
       | ameyamk wrote:
       | This was a brilliant strategy. It allowed Google time to build
       | Chrome at the same time slowing down : (1) explorer (2) Got
       | decent data on CAC for browsers and what channels work and what
       | don't.
       | 
       | Its interesting to see new era of browser wars playing out with
       | Chrome firmly in the lead, but Microsoft attacking with Edge
       | where ChatGPT on bing only available on edge browser and no where
       | else. Would be interesting to see how Google would respond.
        
         | throwaway128128 wrote:
         | Explorer didn't need "slowing down". It was in maintenance mode
         | and being developed it on a shoestring budget around the days
         | of IE6-IE7. Microsoft apparently decided that the web browser
         | circa 2006 was essentially a finished product because they had
         | "won" - IE had no serious mass market competition on Windows.
        
       | adamwk wrote:
       | This reminds me when my parents would have half their browser
       | covered in random toolbars they'd get tricked into installing,
       | whether by online ads or software bundled with them. The modern
       | dark patterns are really nothing like the early 2000's windows
       | days.
        
         | MiddleEndian wrote:
         | Tragically, Microsoft has looked back and realized that people
         | will put up with a lot of shit, so they decided to implement
         | about 20% of it themselves.
        
         | olyjohn wrote:
         | Yeah they were obvious, and easy to clean up back in those
         | days. Now it's happening, and it's just built into the software
         | you use, including your OS... and most people have no way of
         | knowing.
        
       | kccqzy wrote:
       | Note that before Google had Chrome, they contributed quite a bit
       | to Firefox. Some of the features and initiatives (like Safe
       | Browsing) actually began as features for Firefox.
        
       | vinhboy wrote:
       | Fun memory, I made like $40K selling Firefox downloads.... on
       | google ads. Learned a lot about google ads and SEO.
       | 
       | That was a lot of money for me as a poor kid from the TL.
        
         | n1b0m wrote:
         | Were you paid by Mozilla?
        
       | rvnx wrote:
       | Remembering also when Google Chrome was aggressively bundled with
       | toolbars, antiviruses and various "speed boosters".
        
         | crazygringo wrote:
         | I assume you're being sarcastic, but I can't tell what point
         | you're trying to make by it?
         | 
         | In case you're serious, I don't remember any of that. I've
         | never seen Chrome bundled at all, in fact. It's always been
         | available straight from Google as a standalone download. Unless
         | there's something I've missed?
        
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       (page generated 2023-03-30 23:00 UTC)