Today, Businessweek posted an article about Mozilla's relationship with Google. This is a very important issue in open source today. There is a lot of good that comes from the considerable funding Google provides Mozilla.

Quotes from the article:

"Under an agreement between the two, Google's search engine enjoys a default position on the toolbar of Firefox, the second-most-used Web browser after Microsoft's (MSFT) Internet Explorer"

"To date, the arrangement has proved mutually beneficial. Google accounts for more than 88% of Mozilla's revenue, which totaled $75 million in 2007."

The article provides a few potential options such as funding from Yahoo or Microsoft in exchange for making their search technologies the default in Firefox. These don't come without risks.

As we discussed in a blog about Adobe, businesses exist to maximize shareholder value - thus Google will do what serves it best. Can it develop Chrome to be a significant browser for less money than it's paying to Mozilla? Are there additional benefits in sponsoring Mozilla? Will it see value in funding two browsers?

Read the Businessweek article