That said, I wonder what metrics they are using to evaluate whether this is a success. Obviously, number of people switching to a VPN. However, the screen shots in Mozilla's blog post [1] look pretty intrusive and distracting from the browsing experience. I wonder if they will be able to capture user annoyance, if applicable.
[1] https://blog.mozilla.org/futurereleases/2018/10/22/testing-n...
Maybe this will eventually allow me to easily use the vpn in a specific window/tab/container, but what's actually making the biggest difference to me is that a third-party I trust has vouched for ProtonVPN.
I really love Mozilla and what they stand for, but for the love of God, sponsored ads within the browser proper don't sound like a good idea. Once you open that path, what's next? Imagine MS Clippy suggesting you drink a red bull because it noticed your typing is becoming slower. Plus all the greenwashing in the public announcement feels dishonest. Let's call this what it is: experimenting with in-app ads as potential revenue stream.
Not sure why you're getting downvoted. It's a conversation that's important to have. It's not unlike the Mozilla/Mr.Robot fiasco[0].
Yesterday (and related), I suddenly had a Mozilla extension automatically install on a Windows laptop I use very sparingly. I didn't take any screenshots but it's detailed on this medium article I just turned up: https://medium.com/@neothefox/firefox-installs-add-ons-into-...
Essentially, after I killed the main extension, another one displayed that wanted to make suggestions for extensions... based on extensions I am already using. It disappeared before I had a chance to finish my research on it. It was odd, in a backhanded sort of way.
I had all telemetry previously turned off (but the extension indicated that the install was based on my telemetry preferences), my workflow was interrupted, research I was forced to conduct about what was happening, etc...
I can see Mozilla treading carefully here by focusing on a product that aligns with a single entry of their mission statement (principle 4: Mozilla Manifesto[1]). But... it's clear that Mozilla is heading in a direction, ever so slowly, that will make their (current) core users question their commitment to one of their ten core principles. tbh, the other nine principles sounds like they're running for office...
[0] https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/16/16784628/mozilla-mr-robo...
