Transcript
A (0:00)
This week we celebrate Mozilla finally hiring a new CEO. And we hope he doesn't do dumb things. We talk about the Linux foundation and its finances. Then that GPL court case we covered, oh, quite a while ago finally may be getting closer to resolution. The mainline kernel packages are back on Ubuntu and a whole lot more. You don't want to miss it, so stay tuned.
B (0:25)
Podcasts you love from people you trust. This is Twit.
A (0:34)
This is the Untitled Linux Show. Episode 234, recorded Saturday, December 20th. Crescent Wrench AI. Hey folks, it is Saturday and you know what that means. It is time for the Untitled Linux Show. We're going to nerd out over the Linux kernel and software and some hardware stuff. It's going to be a lot of fun. I have my two normal holiday co hosts with us today. We've got Rob and Jeff. Welcome to the show guys.
C (1:03)
Good to be here. Yeah, we were just a day and non holiday.
A (1:07)
Yes. Yeah, well, Ken is. Ken is usually around non holiday, but he is working more hours than he wants to. Well, yes, Rob, yes, that was the implication. Anyway, we were comparing notes before we got started about the various side projects, like where we've done work for people in the past and was telling the guys, I'm actually trying to sell the little tiny business that I've got here locally to be able to work on some other things. We sort of decided that it's really nice though to have a server or a virtual server somewhere because we enjoy sshing into boxes and installing updates.
B (1:42)
Yep.
A (1:44)
Well, there is a business that is trying to do a CEO update. Rob, do you think, do you think this is the one or is this going to be another unintentional interim CEO over at Mozilla?
B (2:01)
I'm gonna say this is the one. It's the one big deal here. Yeah.
C (2:06)
So.
B (2:07)
So there is a lot going on at Mozilla this week, starting with a new CEO. So Anthony Enzer, Demayo de Mayo Demio, I don't know, has been named the new CEO of Mozilla Corporation replacing the interim CEO Laura Chambers. So he started out with a public message saying, quote, people want software that is fast, modern, but also honest about what it does. They want to understand what's happening and to have real choices. Mozilla and Firefox can be that choice. First, every product we build must give people agency in how to work or how it works. Privacy, data use and AI must be clear and understandable. Controls must be simple. AI should always be a choice. Something People can easily turn off. People should know why a future works the way it does and what value they get from it. Second, our business model must align with trust. We will grow through transparent monetization that people recognize and value, you know, like, like, like Google Money. Third, Firefox will grow from a browser into a broader ecosystem of trusted software. Firefox will remain our anchor. It will evolve into a modern AI browser and support a portfolio of new and trusted software additions. So lots of AI there, lots of trust, lots of other things. You know, I'm all for AI myself, but a lot of what I hear from, you know, many of the folks out there is that trust and privacy, at least for them, contradict with AI or in general, I guess they just don't trust AI. But so to me, you know, this message there, it's their way of trying to combine the very different paradigms, you know, how to make Firefox an AI browser built on trust and privacy. You know, the way that things have been going at Microsoft with Firefox is it is clear they have to do something. And maybe this is the right step. Sink or swap, I don't know. But you know, have no fear, it was, it was maybe implied in that statement, but if you didn't catch it, you know, if you, if you love Firefox and hate AI and Enzer Deo has confirmed there will be an AI kill switch to disable it all saying his, quote, rest assured. And this is what he said afterwards after some people called it out, apparently didn't catch that. He said there'd be choice and options and it wasn't exactly hard in there. Like maybe his choice between AIs, I don't know. But anyway, it says, rest assured, Firefox will always remain a browser built around user control that includes AI. You will have a clear way to turn AI features off. A real kill switch is coming in quarter one, 2026. Choice matters. And demonstrating our commitment to choice is how we build and maintain trust. And then also I think even before this on Mastodon, Firefox developer Jake Archibald said, quote, something hasn't been made clear. It wasn't clear, but anyway, it was kind of there. Firefox will have an option to completely disable all AI features. We've been calling it the AI kill switch internally, but I'm sure it'll ship with a less murderous name. But that's how serious and absolute we're taking this. So, yeah, I guess apparently the initial statement, people didn't quite read between the lines and it Wasn't necessarily clear that you're gonna be able to turn it off just because it's there. You don't have to use it, but it's there for those who want it. But, but, but, but. Let's go on. Firefox isn't the only Mozilla software with things in the works. Thunderbird has made some announcements for 2026 as well. Don't worry, it isn't AI, but it is Microsoft. Thunderbird 145 will see native Microsoft Exchange support. Okay, that's it for the Microsoft stuff. Not, not that. Not that horrible after all, is it? Anyway, they're also going to continue to work on their mobile offerings. And we should also see the awaited Thunder Mail and Thunderbird Pro released in 2026. And finally, we can look forward to what they say is going to be a refresh of the Thunderbird calendar user interface. User interface is something I've always thought Thunderbird needed. And then they made improvements recently. But keep the UI improvements going because I like them. The new CEO. Big things in the works with Firefox AI. And maybe not as big for Thunderbird. I don't know. It depends where you sit. Maybe they are as big. I don't know. Thunder Mail is pretty cool. So I'm looking forward to a lot of this stuff.