Mozilla Messaging

Mozilla Messaging, abbreviated MoMo and initially known as MailCo, was a wholly owned, for-profit subsidiary established within the Mozilla ecosystem in 2007. It was created to give Mozilla's interpersonal communications work a dedicated organizational structure, with responsibilities extending to email and instant-messaging-related activities. Its principal product focus was Mozilla Thunderbird, the open-source email client originally developed under the Mozilla project. The subsidiary formed part of Mozilla's broader effort to organize product development separately from the Mozilla Foundation's nonprofit governance and community mission. In practical terms, Mozilla Messaging concentrated on the development and stewardship of Thunderbird, including work toward Thunderbird 3.0. The brand therefore functioned less like a consumer-facing standalone company and more like an operating unit associated with one of Mozilla's major open-source applications. Mozilla Messaging's independent existence was relatively brief. On 4 April 2011, it was merged into Mozilla Labs, a group within Mozilla Corporation. The merger ended Mozilla Messaging as a separate subsidiary and returned its work to a broader Mozilla product and experimentation structure. Thunderbird remained the central product associated with the organization, but Mozilla Messaging itself is no longer an active operating entity.

Mozilla Messaging was established in 2007 as a wholly owned, for-profit subsidiary associated with the Mozilla Foundation and Mozilla Corporation. It was formerly referred to as MailCo and was also abbreviated MoMo. The entity was designed to separate and focus Mozilla's work on interpersonal communications, particularly email and instant messaging, within the wider Mozilla Project. Its main area of activity was Mozilla Thunderbird, an open-source email client developed by Mozilla. Thunderbird represented Mozilla's principal desktop communications product and gave Mozilla Messaging a clear product-development mandate. The subsidiary's role was not to operate a broad portfolio of independently branded commercial services; instead, it provided an organizational home for engineering, product planning, and related work around Mozilla's communications software. The creation of Mozilla Messaging reflected Mozilla's use of different organizational structures for its nonprofit mission, commercial operations, and individual product initiatives. Mozilla Foundation ownership and Mozilla Corporation affiliation placed the subsidiary within the Mozilla family while allowing it to operate as a for-profit company. Publicly available reference material does not identify a separate founder, headquarters, executive roster, or independent financial disclosures for Mozilla Messaging. The organization was later absorbed into Mozilla Labs. On 4 April 2011, Mozilla Messaging was merged into Mozilla Labs, which was part of Mozilla Corporation. This ended Mozilla Messaging's existence as a standalone subsidiary. Its history is consequently closely tied to Thunderbird and to Mozilla's changing internal approach to product organization rather than to a long-lived independent brand.

1. 2011Merger into Mozilla Labs

   On 4 April 2011, Mozilla Messaging was merged into Mozilla Labs within Mozilla Corporation, ending the subsidiary's independent operation.

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2. 2007Mozilla Messaging is spun off from the Mozilla Project

   Mozilla created Mozilla Messaging, formerly known as MailCo, as a wholly owned for-profit subsidiary focused on interpersonal communications products such as email and instant messaging.

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An organizational vehicle for Mozilla's open-source email and interpersonal communications work, centered on Thunderbird rather than on a standalone commercial software portfolio.

• Mozilla ThunderbirdEmail client

  Mozilla Thunderbird was the central product associated with Mozilla Messaging. It is an open-source desktop email client developed within the Mozilla ecosystem. Mozilla Messaging's principal mandate was to support the development of Thunderbird, including work toward version 3.0. The client provided the product focus for the subsidiary's broader responsibility for interpersonal communications software.

• 2011Merge Mozilla Messaging into Mozilla LabsStrategy

  Mozilla reorganized its product and experimentation activities after Mozilla Messaging had operated as a separate subsidiary focused on Thunderbird and related communications work.

  What changed. On 4 April 2011, Mozilla merged Mozilla Messaging into Mozilla Labs, a group within Mozilla Corporation.

  Aftermath. Mozilla Messaging ceased to exist as a separate subsidiary, and its work continued within the broader Mozilla Labs structure.

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• 2007Create a dedicated communications subsidiaryStrategy

  Mozilla sought a dedicated organizational structure for work on interpersonal communications, including email and instant messaging, while keeping the activity within the Mozilla family.

  What changed. It spun the communications work out as Mozilla Messaging, a wholly owned, for-profit subsidiary focused primarily on Thunderbird.

  Aftermath. The subsidiary operated as Mozilla's dedicated communications unit until it was later absorbed into Mozilla Labs in 2011.

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• 2011Mozilla Messaging merged into Mozilla Labs

  Mozilla Messaging was merged into Mozilla Labs within Mozilla Corporation on 4 April 2011, ending its separate organizational status.

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1. Mozilla Messaging
2. Mozilla Foundation
3. Mozilla Thunderbird