Exactly. I understand why they might want to be less depended on Google. Last year, having Google as their primary search engine, gave Mozilla $311M. If Google backs out, they want to earn money some how else, this is a great non-intrusive way to do so.

You missed the point of the backlash. It's not people rejecting the ads per se, more rejecting the manner in which the changes are presented as being 'pro-user'. If the marketing guy had any sense of what the Mozilla fanbase is like he'd understand why he should've just been honest about wanting to ensure Mozilla can get funding from multiple sources.

Perhaps so. But on the flip side, I can't see how Mozilla would be burning through a third of a billion dollars a year. I'd hope/assume that some of that was being banked so they don't have to preemptively introduce advertising. But, y'know, the taste of money is addictive.

I share your sickness feeling however I think that this is a problem of loud minority influencing online discussions in a disproportionate way. The tech community at large may be or may be not more reasonable.