In recent weeks, a significant controversy has erupted in the WordPress community, pitting the platform’s founder, Matt Mullenweg, against WP Engine, a prominent managed hosting provider for WordPress sites. This dispute has sparked heated discussions and drawn reactions from influencers, industry leaders, and various news outlets. With accusations of trademark misuse, abuse of power, and potential conflicts of interest, the situation has raised important questions about the future of WordPress as an open-source project and the role of commercial entities within its ecosystem. In this blog post, we will explore key statements from influential figures and organizations involved in the drama, shedding light on the various perspectives that have emerged as tensions continue to rise.
Taylor Otwell, the creator of Laravel
October 18, 2024
Taylor Otwell expressed his thoughts on the ongoing WordPress drama, mentioning that he doesn’t have extensive experience with WordPress or its community but finds the situation “kind of nasty.” He commented on Matt Mullenweg, the co-founder of WordPress, saying that Matt seems to have “jumped the shark” with his recent demands, particularly the request for an 8% revenue share from WP Engine, which Otwell found unreasonable and unexpected. He believes that WP Engine contributes positively to the WordPress ecosystem and disagrees with Matt’s perspective, noting that services like Laracasts, which promote Laravel, also benefit the Laravel community without any formal revenue-sharing arrangements. Watch this part of podcast here which was published on October 18, 2024
David Heinemeier Hansson (DHH), the creator of Ruby on Rails
October 13, 2024
DHH has criticized Automattic’s actions, particularly Mullenweg’s demand for 8% of WP Engine’s monthly revenue, as a violation of open-source principles. He has written two blog posts on this topic titled “Automattic is Doing Open Source Dirty” and “Open Source Royalty and Mad Kings,” in which he states that Automattic is “completely out of line” and that the potential damage to the open-source world extends far beyond WordPress. He has also expressed support for WP Engine, arguing that the company’s actions are justified in response to Mullenweg’s aggressive tactics. He believes that WP Engine’s lawsuit against Automattic and Mullenweg is necessary to protect the company and the broader WordPress community. Related blog posts are here and here. Matt has reponded him via a post here.
John O’Nolan, the Founder/CEO of Ghost
October 30, 2024
Ghost is a non-profit organization that distributes its intellectual property under the MIT license, generating $7.5 million annually without outside funding or ownership. Founded by former WordPress contributor John O’Nolan and co-founder Hannah Wolfe, Ghost focuses on a streamlined publishing workflow, avoiding the complexities of traditional CMS.
In an article titled ‘Democratising publishing’, John O’Nolan says: “Having seen how things worked on the inside for several years, the conclusion I personally came to was that WordPress and Automattic were not truly about democratising publishing, after all. We build Ghost with a simple, permissive MIT license. No GPL drama.”. At Ghost, he aims to democratize publishing and plans to diversify its governance structure as it grows, including community involvement in decision-making. Transparency in operations and finances is a priority for the organization.
Chris Wiegman, former WordPress contributor and plugin developer
October 28, 2024
After over 14 years of involvement with the WordPress project, Chris Wiegman has finally left WordPress on October 28, 2024. His contributions included roles as a Meetup and WordCamp speaker and organizer, core code contributor, plugin developer, photo contributor, and moderator for the official WordPress jobs site. The decision to leave stemmed from disillusionment with the community’s dishonesty and the treatment of contributors. Despite efforts to advocate for privacy and accessibility, many have faced abuse and exclusion. He favors WP Engine and finds it to be the most honest company in the ecosystem, providing fair pay without pretensions of virtue.
Recent events have highlighted significant issues within the WordPress community, leading to a belief that further involvement only perpetuates a toxic environment. Chris Wiegman has archived his projects and ceased participation in community events, expressing hope for a future with improved governance. Read his full blog post here . His WP.org profile here
Matt Cromwell, co-founder of @GiveWP. CX at @StellarWP
October 29, 2024
Matt Cromwell has confirmed that he will continue contributing to WordPress despite the challenges and frustrations arising from recent events. He aims to provide emotional support and a safe space for those who feel hurt or abandoned due to these challenges.
I do my best to gather the latest information about important people and groups who have something to say in relation to this ongoing WordPress drama, but it can be hard to stay updated. So, if you come across any statements from key influencers, regardless of whether their opinions are unbiased or biased toward Matt or WP Engine, please contribute via this easy submission form.
Thank you.