The appointment of Proposition 8 supporter Brendan Eich as CEO of Mozilla ( the company that makes the world's second-most popular Internet desktop browser, Firefox ) has provoked dissent within the company's ranks and on its board of directorsand now the larger tech world is responding, according to a Forbes article.
The dating site OK Cupid has fired back. Users of the site who access it through Mozilla's Firefox browser have started receiving a message asking them not to use software made by a company whose CEO has donated money to outlaw same-sex marriage in California.
In addition, some Mozilla employees have publicly called for Eich to step down, and three of the company's six directorsGary Kovacs, John Lilly and Ellen Siminoffhave left the board in protest.
Eich ( the inventor of JavaScript ) actually co-founded Mozilla, but made headlines when it was reported he had donated $1,000 to support California's anti-gay Prop 8 in 2008, according to The New Civil Rights Movement.
A few have offered measured support, MSNBC noted. "To be clear, I'm personally disappointed about Brendan's donation," said Christie Koehler, a gay employee, on her blog. "However, aside from how it affected me emotionally, I have nothing to indicate that it's materially hurt my work within the Mozilla community or as a Mozilla employee."
Married gay couple Hampton and Michael Catlin, the co-founders of the software manufacturer Rarebit, have published a notice on their company's website announcing a boycott of Firefox, including removing their apps from Firefox's marketplace. Hampton told MSNBC that the boycott was still in effect, but that they're no longer calling for Eich to step down, saying a simple apology would suffice.
Eich has said he remains committed to openness in the workplace and offering assurances that Mozilla would not change certain policies, such as health insurance for the partners of gay employees, according to a BBC item.