Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by CameronNemo 2144 days ago
I like this question. Not as a way to argue, but as actual productive discussion.

I would work with the LineageOS, Replicant, Ubuntu Touch, postmarketOS, microG, Fairphone, Pinephone, etc. folks to integrate the Gecko engine as much as possible into their offerings. Or at least offer flavors that do so, or prompts to select a browser engine on first boot. If necessary and economical I would pay LOS to ship Firefox by default.
2 comments
ac29 2144 days ago
Even if you got 100% of those projects committed to integrating Mozilla technology, you'd have a infinitesimal fraction of the browser market. Furthermore, those users are already probably fairly anti-Google, so it would be preaching to the converted.
link
CameronNemo 2143 days ago
You have to start somewhere... and many LOS users do not mind Google. They just want an up to date ROM.
link
takluyver 2144 days ago
Can I play? You get pushback from most of those projects because Chrome is the 'just works' option for the mobile web - no-one tests their websites with Firefox mobile. Some of them are persuaded on principle (like Replicant), some want money, some refuse outright. We'll say you agree a $500k /yr deal for Firefox as the default in Lineage.

You still have a tiny fraction of the mobile browser market, because all those platforms together are a drop in the Android & iOS ocean.

link
qu4z-2 2144 days ago
I'm not entirely convinced users of microG put "just works" first and foremost...
link
CameronNemo 2143 days ago
IME Firefox on Android works well for most, if not all, of the websites I have visited.

Regarding the tiny drop comment: you have to start somewhere. Why not with the users who have the most tolerance and technical skills?

link