Microsoft, in a move bound to inspire every geek forum in the world to make "It's a trap!" jokes, invited the makers of Internet Explorer alternative Firefox to MS HQ.

The move gives some Firefox fans a case of the heebs, imagining what injuries Microsoft could inflict on the browser when trying to make it work in Windows Vista. But more importantly, will Microsoft make any moves to lure Firefox maker Mozilla away from Google?

Google pays Mozilla to be the default search engine in Firefox. Meanwhile, Google pays web site owners who spread Firefox and hands out copies of the software in its freeware Google Pack.

It runs so much deeper — Google and Mozilla trade engineers like baseball players, so Google is practically building Mozilla's tools. It's sort of a soft control, like Britain and Canada. Both companies know it's the best way to defend against the hegemony of Microsoft and its browser.

Considering all that, it's tempting to speculate what would happen to Mozilla in Redmond.

Microsoft invites Firefox development team to Redmond [Ars Technica]

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