The youthful programmer behind web browser Waterfox, which boasts 4m downloads, is currently expecting to generate a viable competitor to the omnipresent search engine of Google by offering complete seclusion on the internet to users, and directing cash to charities.
With Thunderstorm, his new engine, a tiny fraction of any purchases made with participating etailers is given to an increasing roll of charitable organisations. The charity will share a percentage of that commission with Thunderstorm and Waterfox to finance their on-going operation.
The purpose would be to tempt millions of users away from Google and create significant earnings for organisations that are worthy. Up to GBP20 may be created from each active user per year for non-profit causes, the firm claims.

The organization is offering a white-label version of its own search engine to charities, societies and social enterprises, that will enable these organisations share it with their communities and to stamp their branding on the engine.
“That is the best technique for scaling rapidly,” says Taylor. “You can not simply go to a market and say, ‘use this system’ but if you place a wrapper around it for brands with big communities, and they tell folks to use it to raise earnings for a good cause, we’ll grow considerably quicker.”