Tags: Microsoft

Google promotes Mozilla Firefox on their homepage

With Microsoft closing in on the launch of the Windows Vista operating system and Internet Explorer 7 reaching the final stages of development, it becomes important for Google to keep the lead over Microsoft’s MSN Search Engine. Microsoft is going to knit their MSN/Live Search Engine deeply into the operating system and Google needs some serious weaponry to counter the upcoming challenge.

Google has been a long time promoter of the Mozilla Firefox program. They enable web publishers to make money by getting people to download Firefox web browser through ads on their websites and now they develop extensions for this platform.

Now, the search engine giant is even promoting Mozilla Firefox on its homepage. The company ran Firefox ads on their homepage yesterday, which would be a big boost for the open source foundation in the longer run.

Google promoted the advantages of using Mozilla Firefox over Internet Explorer through these ads. The promotional text read: “Firefox with Google Toolbar: tabbed browsing, safer surfing.” Interestingly, the ad is only visible to users of Google Search Engine visiting the site using Internet Explorer!

A Google spokesperson said in a statement confirming the advertisement: “Google is promoting Firefox with Google Toolbar because tabbed browsing and safer surfing help provide our users with a great search experience.”