[spinningslate]

yes, though perhaps stating the obvious: it depends what they do with it.

Ladybird currently has 8 full-time devs [1] and is making impressive progress on delivering a browser from scratch. Wise investment in small, focused, capable teams can go a long way if they're not chasing VC-driven Unicorn status (or in stasis as a Google anti-trust diversion).

That's not challenging your point though: in the face of competing budgets at US tech giants, EUR17Mn still barely registers above noise level. Nevertheless, it's a start. We can only hope it grows and doesn't get shut down by some political lobbying by the aforementioned US behemoths. A modest budget might actually help there - not yet big enough to cause concern to incumbents.

[1]: https://ladybird.org/

[umanwizard]

What is the point of a new browser engine? What will be the advantage over WebKit/Blink/Gecko?

Sure it “isn’t monetized”, but nothing stops you from making non-monetized forks of chromium or Firefox. And nothing stops company from forking Ladybird and monetizing it, either.

[omnimus]

Hopefully new independent voice in the questions of platform features, development and future.

Google could do pretty much anything with the platform if it were not for Apple and iOS. And that's a big if because if they align on something it will get to the platform.

Firefox unfortunately seems to be infected by Silicon Valley people that seem to be quite obedient to the status quo.

Ladybird is at least developed by people from all around the world.