General Discussion

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts) Fri Apr 4, 2014, 06:44 PM Apr 2014

We won!!!!!!!!!! Mozilla CEO Steps Down; Company Says It “Must Do Better”

Power to the internet!!!

Amid growing concern over his stance on equal marriage rights, Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich has decided to step down from his role atop the Internet biggie; a job he only began in March. At the same time, Mozilla’s leadership is issuing an apology to those who took issue with its decision to put the company co-founder in that CEO position.

Eich was the creator of the JavaScript language and a well-known and respected figure in the tech field. But at the core of the criticisms against him was a donation he made in 2008 in support of Proposition 8, the California ballot measure that outlawed same-sex marriage in the state.

This donation became a public matter in 2012, while Eich was still Chief Technology Officer at Mozilla. While the news drew some negative attention to Mozilla at the time, it wasn’t until the company named him CEO in March 2014 that people really began to care.

Most notably, online dating site OKcupid recently “blocked” the site for users of Mozilla’s Firefox browser (it actually just put up an announcement that made it look like the site was blocked but gave users the option to click through to continue using on the browser) to bring attention to Eich’s past.

http://consumerist.com/2014/04/03/mozilla-ceo-steps-down-company-says-it-must-do-better/

9 replies

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Highlight:

We won!!!!!!!!!! Mozilla CEO Steps Down; Company Says It “Must Do Better” (Original Post) dixiegrrrrl Apr 2014 OP

Don't worry Herman Cain has already cried foul Johonny Apr 2014 #1

This Mozilla poll could use some help seveneyes Apr 2014 #2

I am not sure newblewtoo Apr 2014 #3

Once they named him CEO, it was too late. Ms. Toad Apr 2014 #4

Indeed...I have seen pro and con remarks from people. dixiegrrrrl Apr 2014 #5

Are you banning JavaScript? Desert805 Apr 2014 #6

Javascript should be banned mythology Apr 2014 #7

" It's obnoxious and makes surfing the internet without something like NoScript a pain in the ass." ChisolmTrailDem Apr 2014 #8

"who thinks different from them politically"?? gay people are human beings; damn straight i think TheFrenchRazor Apr 2014 #9

Johonny

(20,851 posts)

1. Don't worry Herman Cain has already cried foul

Reply to dixiegrrrrl (Original post)

Fri Apr 4, 2014, 07:33 PM

Apr 2014

bemoaning horrible liberal intolerance of this man's intolerance. I only know this because my RW facebook friend posted Herman Cain's comments. I can't tell what is funnier: Herman Cain's comments or the fact human beings still think Herman Cain is relevant to politics. Oh RW facebook friend you are a joy of comedy.

seveneyes

(4,631 posts)

2. This Mozilla poll could use some help

Reply to dixiegrrrrl (Original post)

Fri Apr 4, 2014, 07:37 PM

Apr 2014

https://input.mozilla.org/en-US/

newblewtoo

(667 posts)

3. I am not sure

Reply to dixiegrrrrl (Original post)

Fri Apr 4, 2014, 08:11 PM

Apr 2014

anyone ever 'wins' an internet poll but in this case it looks like the sad comments are running close to 88% to 12%. If that translates into actual consumer action it does not bode well for Mozilla's economic viability. This could become a Pyric victory for the company.

Ms. Toad

(34,074 posts)

4. Once they named him CEO, it was too late.

Reply to newblewtoo (Reply #3)

Fri Apr 4, 2014, 08:58 PM

Apr 2014

They then had to choose which portion of their constituency to anger. And, even the winning side doesn't really trust their commitment to a decision they had to be pushed into.

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)

5. Indeed...I have seen pro and con remarks from people.

Reply to Ms. Toad (Reply #4)

Fri Apr 4, 2014, 11:29 PM

Apr 2014

It does add to the growing list of why people have been unhappy with Mozilla of late.

Desert805

(392 posts)

6. Are you banning JavaScript?

Reply to dixiegrrrrl (Original post)

Fri Apr 4, 2014, 11:56 PM

Apr 2014

Have you been since the list came out?

Something about this timing smells, but I guess that's not the most important thing.

I don't have a big problem with this, but then again, I do have a huge problem with someone thinking that everyone who thinks different from them politically should be fired from their jobs.

I mean, some folks, yeah, sure, heh.

mythology

(9,527 posts)

7. Javascript should be banned

Reply to Desert805 (Reply #6)

Sat Apr 5, 2014, 01:02 AM

Apr 2014

It's obnoxious and makes surfing the internet without something like NoScript a pain in the ass.

And he didn't get fired for his beliefs. He was forced to step down because he took action against the rights of others. If he had donated to a group against interracial marriage, he wouldn't have been considered. Likewise if he was just personally against gay marriage but hadn't donated, he probably would have been fine. But when he actively works to deny people basic rights, he gets to suffer the consequences.

Also the position of CEO is different. When he was just CTO this wasn't considered nearly as big of a deal. But when he's the public face of an open source community, he's held to a different standard. It comes with the pay raise.

ChisolmTrailDem

(9,463 posts)

8. " It's obnoxious and makes surfing the internet without something like NoScript a pain in the ass."

Reply to mythology (Reply #7)

Sat Apr 5, 2014, 01:33 AM

Apr 2014

Please elaborate.

Ive been on the Internet since before Mosaic and I don't know what you're talking about. What are you doing to have such issues?

TheFrenchRazor

(2,116 posts)

9. "who thinks different from them politically"?? gay people are human beings; damn straight i think