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An important reminder: Netscape was meant to be a commercial product, paid for by the users of the product. They had to pivot to it staying free forever when Microsoft made their browser free — because they had the money to outspend Netscape forever and knew they would win.

Then VCs decided to stop giving Netscape money, forcing a sale to AOL, who also were unable to make money with it.

Then came Mozilla, a for-profit entity wrapped in a non-profit trenchcoat. But users still don't pay for the one product that matters — the browser — leaving it up to Google to foot those bills (and pretty much all the other ones too.)

Yet the entire pitch for the continued existence of Mozilla is to protect the internet from Google...