Mozilla Confronts “Google evil”

Evoking Google’s slogan, “don’t be evil,” Asa Dotzler of Mozilla, in a recent post on his blog , urged large internet companies to “stop being evil,” namely Microsoft, Apple, and Google. Mozilla produces the popular web browsing software Firefox.

Each of these companies, according to Dotzler, installs software on users computers without their consent. As Firefox is developed using an Open Source model, wherein all code is available to anyone, it makes it possible for anyone to create plugins which can be installed in the browser.

Dotzler’s objection is Microsoft’s installation of Windows Live Photo Gallery plugin automatically with Microsoft Office, Apple’s automatic iTunes installer, and a Google automatic updater hidden in many of their products.

Dotzler argues that this resembles the behavior of a Trojan horse, and that this is “underhanded” behavior.