At this point in time we can second guess the "they pay for traffic". AFAIK Firefox market share dropped significantly but Google payment stayed mostly the same. Maybe it is now more about not facing antitrust scrutiny, just like when Microsoft "invested" in Apple?
And speaking of Microsoft - I am using Thunderbird 102.6.1, since any newer version doesn't work for me with Outlook365 - MS OAuth implementation requires user agent to be accepted by some "administrator".
Looks like great example of what we can expect from Google, even if that Web Integrity get delayed for few years. Mozilla really is powerless - either they cave in, like with video DRM - or their browser won't be useful as daily driver
> Maybe it is now more about not facing antitrust scrutiny, just like when Microsoft "invested" in Apple?
Maybe, but what does that change? It might even be a stronger lever to pull than "we will stop sending you traffic". My point is that Google isn't donating money to Mozilla because it's nice, it pays for something (traffic / legal protection / whatever). I just don't see how the parent idea that Mozilla most comply with Google because Google "pays their bills" holds.
And speaking of Microsoft - I am using Thunderbird 102.6.1, since any newer version doesn't work for me with Outlook365 - MS OAuth implementation requires user agent to be accepted by some "administrator". Looks like great example of what we can expect from Google, even if that Web Integrity get delayed for few years. Mozilla really is powerless - either they cave in, like with video DRM - or their browser won't be useful as daily driver