The Mozilla Foundation published A study counting lThe user manipulation techniques used by the five big technology companies (Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon and Google) when it comes to conditioning which browser we use. The problem is that, in my opinion, the authors use many of these techniques to try to convince us that this is the only cause of the precipitous drop in popularity of the Firefox browser.
Much can be said about the monopolistic practices of the companies mentioned. They are being investigated by regulatory bodies on at least three continents for a reason, but The study that we have been citing is a mixture of irrelevant statistics, very interesting quotes, but of doubtful relevance, and debatable examples.
I must confess that I am writing the articles as I read the study. When I found out about its existence on some sites in English, I found it very interesting. As the pages went by, I found it debatable, then funny, and now I find myself outraged by the underestimation of the intelligence of users by those responsible for what was once an emblem of open source projects.
Had I read the entire study before starting, I would have saved the Linux blogosphere seven articles that could have been devoted to something more interesting. But looking at it on the bright side They serve to demonstrate why Firefox is in free fall, and it is not exactly the fault of the competition.
Any way at all. Let's go for the remaining twenty-four pages.
Operating system user manipulation techniques
The authors reuse the resource of write an absolutely true statement in support of something that has nothing to do with it.
Pay attention to the following paragraph taken from the study:
There is good evidence that choice pressure can affect decisions. Presenting false or misleading information, scarcity or popularity claims, and messengers (such as fake reviews) can be particularly harmful. A large body of academic research shows that both practices affect consumer decision-making and can lead to impulsive or inappropriate choices or acquisitions, thereby weakening competition.
Using the expression "a large body of scholarly research" and not citing anyone for me it qualifies as a form of pressure for the election. Above all, when a few lines before it is held:
Operating systems can put pressure on consumers to make certain decisions using factors that are indirectly related…
To illustrate this point, he presents two examples.
The first, absolutely inadequate in my opinion, is the screen that Windows 10 presents to users offering the express configuration mode, which includes sharing information with Microsoft and its commercial partners. On the screenshot itself showing the pdf you see the explanation of everything that the quick configuration mode implies. However, for the Mozilla Foundation one is so desperate to finish installing Windows that one is not going to take the 30 seconds it takes to read the text.
I have to take the second example as valid, although it is most likely that Microsoft will find it counterproductive.
It seems that when you try to install another browser you are presented with a screen that says that you already have Edge installed and two buttons. The first, already preselected, is to open Edge and the second to continue with the installation of the other browser.
I have to say that two months ago I installed Brave on Windows 10 and I didn't see this screen, but I guess it happened to someone. However, if someone is determined to install another browser, I highly doubt this screen will do anything.
But, Microsoft is not giving up. If you installed another browser and made it default, every so often it will ask you why you keep using it when you have Edge available. The typical annoying family member who always asks you why you don't stop earning fortunes with your YouTube videos and finish university.
The last two examples with which the editors decided to end the chapter would deserve a series of qualifiers that the directors of Linux Adictos They would never approve and they would make my mother wash my mouth with bleach
Searching for “Firefox” in Bing shows a banner saying that you already have Edge installed. I just did the test in Edge for Linux and I don't see it. I don't have a Windows computer handy to see what happens.
The last straw is the complaint that when accessing a Google service (in this case from iPhone) Google shows a banner with the recommendation to install Chrome.
Before having its own browser, Google did exactly the same thing with Firefox. This is how he got a large part of his users.
And with this, little friends and little friends we say goodbye to the subject since the pages that follow are opinions of unidentified users and the conclusions.