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Stuart · 23-11-2004, 19:59

An "adware function" in the German version of Firefox has been dropped after user complaints.

Basically, any request sent through the eBay search function was sent through the website www.webtip.ch, run by a company called "Metaspinner".

Article: here

The Mozilla foundation say they have done this to collect "anonymised statistics". Fair enough, I have no problem with that. Why do it through an outside company though? Why not do it using the Mozilla Europe search engine. Which, they are now doing.

If, as the article (http://www.heise.de/english/newsticker/news/53518) linked to in the article above is correct, in that this is being done to generate funds for the foundation, then, fine. I have no problem with that. They should BE OPEN about the fact they are doing it though.

Still, at least Mozilla have done the decent thing and altered the eBay search so it doesn't go to outside companies, even if it did take user complaints to persuade them to do it.

I realise that by using Opera, and not paying for it, I am using an Adware supported browser, but at least Opera are open about the fact they are doing that..

Finally, I must stress that the updated version of the German firefox is available for download, and apparently the update should be available via autoupdate within the next few days.

23-11-2004, 19:59	#1
Stuart - Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Somewhere Services: Virgin for TV and Internet, BT for phone Posts: 26,546	Firefox including Adware? An "adware function" in the German version of Firefox has been dropped after user complaints. Basically, any request sent through the eBay search function was sent through the website www.webtip.ch, run by a company called "Metaspinner". Article: here The Mozilla foundation say they have done this to collect "anonymised statistics". Fair enough, I have no problem with that. Why do it through an outside company though? Why not do it using the Mozilla Europe search engine. Which, they are now doing. If, as the article (http://www.heise.de/english/newsticker/news/53518) linked to in the article above is correct, in that this is being done to generate funds for the foundation, then, fine. I have no problem with that. They should BE OPEN about the fact they are doing it though. Still, at least Mozilla have done the decent thing and altered the eBay search so it doesn't go to outside companies, even if it did take user complaints to persuade them to do it. I realise that by using Opera, and not paying for it, I am using an Adware supported browser, but at least Opera are open about the fact they are doing that.. Finally, I must stress that the updated version of the German firefox is available for download, and apparently the update should be available via autoupdate within the next few days.