Firefox usage is down despite Mozilla's top exec pay going up

Re:Firefox usage is down despite Mozilla's top exec pay goin... by jameslk on Wednesday September 23, 2020 @03:23AM (#24564009)

While I understand the frustration, it's unclear to me what the expected solution is for Mozilla. Pay the CEO less until the company does better? Ok but the CEO will presumably just find a higher paying job elsewhere. Then what? Find a cheaper CEO? How does that help fix the slipping market share for Firefox?

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Re:Firefox usage is down despite Mozilla's top exec pay goin... by gwd on Wednesday September 23, 2020 @04:15AM (#24564374)

> Find a cheaper CEO?

Find a CEO whose motivation is more "make the world a better place" than "make millions of dollars a year". $500k is a large enough salary to live well just about anywhere. After that it's just "victory points" in the game of careerism.

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Re:Firefox usage is down despite Mozilla's top exec pay goin... by bambax on Wednesday September 23, 2020 @04:46AM (#24564594)

Modern CEO pay is a cargo-cult. Companies pay CEO insane amounts because "everybody else does it" and "it helps hire the best".

These theories are untested, except that we now know for certain that paying $2.5M doesn't guarantee that the CEO is any good.

I would bet you can hire an excellent, technically competent CEO for Mozilla for $250k a year.

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Re:Firefox usage is down despite Mozilla's top exec pay goin... by throwaway983249 on Wednesday September 23, 2020 @02:22PM (#24570196)

Mozilla's last three CEOs (Baker, Beard and Eich) all had worked at Mozilla before. Mozilla appears unable to recruit outside CEOs even with its current CEO compensation.

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Re:Firefox usage is down despite Mozilla's top exec pay goin... by tingol on Wednesday September 23, 2020 @06:32AM (#24565294)

We knew that already, did everyone forget the Yahoo fiasco?

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Re:Firefox usage is down despite Mozilla's top exec pay goin... by zoredache on Wednesday September 23, 2020 @07:23PM (#24573449)

> I would bet you can hire an excellent, technically competent CEO for Mozilla for $250k a year.

But how long would they stay after other companies learn this new person is actually competent and start throwing money at them.

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Re:Firefox usage is down despite Mozilla's top exec pay goin... by byset on Wednesday September 23, 2020 @04:05AM (#24564301)

With her doubtful record of success, it is questionable that the CEO really could find a higher paying job elsewhere.

And Mozilla's poor track record suggests that if Mozilla insists on paying the same CEO salary, they might do well to find a different CEO to give it to.

I think the point is less that this CEO should take a pay cut — although she probably should — but more that the mediocrity + layoffs + exorbitant-CEO-salary situation here reeks of self-dealing.

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Re:Firefox usage is down despite Mozilla's top exec pay goin... by adamt on Wednesday September 23, 2020 @03:29AM (#24564059)

Better align executive pay with business performance from the beginning. If the business is failing then parting company with the CEO is working as intended.

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Re:Firefox usage is down despite Mozilla's top exec pay goin... by ponker on Wednesday September 23, 2020 @03:43AM (#24564167)

What’s so great about this CEO? Would a cheaper CEO do worse?

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Re:Firefox usage is down despite Mozilla's top exec pay goin... by therealx on Wednesday September 23, 2020 @04:00AM (#24564272)

I agree, I dont think this CEO is special. His argument is flawed on that premise alone. I think they should pull an MS and promote the CIO or a lead engineer.

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Re:Firefox usage is down despite Mozilla's top exec pay goin... by krick on Wednesday September 23, 2020 @04:36AM (#24564529)

They fired everyone who would've been worth promoting already.

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Re:Firefox usage is down despite Mozilla's top exec pay goin... by baq on Wednesday September 23, 2020 @04:40AM (#24564556)

yes. it helps by reducing burn rate of good money.

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