Around 10 years from now, in a small room, a bunch of wizards created something that later went on to change the entire web. It was called Firefox 1.0
At that time, Internet Explorer had around 95% browser market share in client side desktops. If you didn't catch, read it again, yes 95%. Microsoft pretty much owned the Internet, but then, Firefox came in, and the web was never the same again.
Never before did a company kept the user in front of all, give the user the ultimate power, without any expectations for profits. Yes, these people are the true non-profits you will see. They got their values and they stick to it. They are programmers, coders, technical writers or just plain office workers who want to make a change in this world. It doesn't take a college degree or loads of cash to be one of them, just go out and start contributing (or from your computer, your choice).
I am a 19 year old. I started to use the Internet recently, like 5 years ago. The Internet Explorer was my first browser (actually didn't know what a browser was then, it just came with the copy of Windows). Later, as I grew, I realized the software that I use to surf the web can actually be changed. It was when I found Firefox, my second and last browser. It was awesome, and I used to boast how my downloads resumed after a power cut without any kind of download manager. I didn't know anything about Mozilla or its mission then, still, the piece of software I was using was great.
An important transition in my life too place when I switched to Linux. I had realized that if I want to follow my dream of becoming a computer wizard someday, I need to master Linux. With Linux, I experienced the true power of Firefox. I got to know what are plugins and add ons. I got to know more about Mozilla and their aim, how they started and who are its core members. I was even lucky to attend a seminar of Asa Dotzler in India, which cleared all the remaining doubts I had, if any. I knew this is the organization I want to see myself working at in the next 10 years. I knew this was it.
Today, I am writing this article as a thank you. I didn't want to get all technical with the facts about Mozilla, because there are loads of articles on the web for that. I just wanted to let people know, what impact Mozilla had, on my life and the way I live it.
A Mozillian :)