Posted September 30, 2024, updated October 4, 2024
WordPress is open source software. That means it’s free for anyone to use, for any purpose, distribution, or profit. Open source software requires ongoing maintenance and upkeep, much of which is managed by volunteers or “sponsored” programmers (paid by the WordPress Foundation or third party business sponsors such as Automattic). In other words, there is a cost for open source (free) software, because it must be maintained.
There’s been a lot going on in the tech community related to WordPress, Matt Mullenweg (MM) and WP Engine (WPE), after MM “publicly criticized WPE for building business models around WordPress without making meaningful contributions to the platform itself” in a Sept. 17 blog post, and reiterated the same at the WCUS Portland 2024 Closing Talk Q&A with Matt Mullenweg. Because MM decided WPE wasn’t giving back enough, he used the closing talk to “go nuclear” on WPE, as retaliation for their failure to pay millions of dollars requested by MM to be paid to Automattic, his for-profit company(1). Please read the ChatGPT summary of the issue below
Since MM’s talk, the WordPress ecosystem has been greatly (and detrimentally, in my opinion) impacted. The tech news is abuzz with the latest details; plenty of speculation, finger pointing, and downright meanness.
This is not a proud moment for anyone who works in the WordPress ecosystem.
As an agency working mainly within the WordPress ecosystem, we’re caught in the middle, caught up in the crossfire, feeling the pain of any sanctions that our host, WPE, is placed under. Years ago (in 2013), after extensive research, we aligned ourselves with WPE for hosting because we felt they offered the best possible website hosting option for CWS’ Customers.
WPE provides excellent service to CWS; they have been and continue to be, an extremely reliable company to work with.
Because of MM and WPE’s difficulties, we’re keeping a close eye on how things are unfolding. As your website services provider, it is our job to look after the “geeky parts” of making sure your website runs smoothly and reliably. The situation is very dynamic, changing almost daily, and we will be vigilant in watching how this situation plays out. If we need to make a change, we’ll let you know as soon as we know.
For now, we watch carefully, and wait.
Should you have any questions about anything you read or hear, please do not hesitate to reach out for clarification, information, or reassurance. If you feel that a change is needed now, let us know and we’ll work with you to find a viable solution.
~ Lisa Smith, and the Creative Web Solutions Team
ChatGPT summary of the issue
Pulled Sept. 30, 2024
The conflict between Matt Mullenweg, the co-founder of WordPress, and WP Engine, a major WordPress hosting company, centers around issues of leadership, control, and philosophy regarding the open-source nature of WordPress.
The Problem:
Control and Philosophy: Matt Mullenweg is a staunch advocate for the open-source WordPress ecosystem and the vision behind it. WP Engine, as a commercial entity, has been seen by Mullenweg as taking too much from the community without sufficiently contributing back, potentially endangering the open-source spirit of WordPress. Mullenweg has criticized companies like WP Engine for building proprietary platforms on top of WordPress and commercializing it in ways he finds contrary to the open-source ethos.
GPL Dispute: At one point, Mullenweg raised concerns about WP Engine’s compliance with the General Public License (GPL) that governs WordPress and the software derived from it. WP Engine, being a proprietary host, uses WordPress software in ways that Mullenweg has suggested might not align perfectly with WordPress’s licensing terms.
The Interaction:
(1) Public Criticism: Mullenweg has publicly criticized WP Engine for building business models around WordPress without making meaningful contributions to the platform itself. This has led to tensions between WP Engine and Mullenweg, as the company has defended its position, arguing it provides value to users and the community through its hosting services and innovations.
Response from WP Engine: WP Engine has taken a more neutral stance, emphasizing their contribution to the WordPress ecosystem by providing quality hosting solutions and innovations. They also argue that their services help further popularize WordPress, benefiting the community in the long term.
The clash is essentially between Mullenweg’s desire to protect the integrity of WordPress’s open-source roots and WP Engine’s pursuit of profit and growth as a commercial entity within the WordPress ecosystem. Mullenweg’s tactics in dealing with WP Engine appear to be a mix of public critique, philosophical framing, and leveraging his influence within the WordPress community. Here’s how his approach can be described:
- Public Criticism and Accountability:
- Naming and Shaming: Mullenweg has used his platform to publicly call out WP Engine for practices he perceives as being at odds with WordPress’s open-source ethos. This includes questioning the company’s contributions to the community and raising issues related to licensing compliance under the General Public License (GPL). By doing so, he positions himself as a guardian of WordPress’s values.
- Philosophical Framing:
- Open-Source Advocacy: Mullenweg frequently invokes the importance of open-source principles in his arguments. By framing WP Engine’s business practices as potentially harmful to the health and future of WordPress, he attempts to align the broader WordPress community behind the idea that commercial ventures should actively contribute to the open-source ecosystem. This tactic appeals to developers and other community members who share similar ideals.
- Leveraging Influence in the WordPress Ecosystem:
- Setting Expectations for Contributions: As the leader of the WordPress project, Mullenweg can set a moral and cultural tone within the community. His public criticisms of WP Engine can act as a form of soft power, influencing how others in the ecosystem view WP Engine and similar commercial entities. By highlighting a perceived imbalance between what WP Engine takes versus what it gives back, Mullenweg seeks to encourage more meaningful contributions from commercial players.
- Highlighting GPL and Legal Concerns:
- Legal Pressure via Licensing: By raising concerns about WP Engine’s compliance with the GPL, Mullenweg emphasizes the legal obligations of companies that benefit from WordPress. This tactic can serve as a pressure point, suggesting that failure to adhere to the GPL could result in more significant consequences, potentially deterring behavior he sees as problematic.
Overall, Mullenweg’s approach seems designed to maintain the balance between commercial interests and the open-source ethos of WordPress, using both public pressure and moral arguments to influence companies like WP Engine.
Updated info
Added October 4, 2024
Since our last update, the situation between Matt Mullenweg, co-founder of WordPress, and WP Engine has escalated further. WP Engine has filed a lawsuit against Mullenweg and Automattic, accusing them of libel, extortion, and trademark misuse. WP Engine claims that Mullenweg has abused his power by blocking their access to critical WordPress.org resources, such as the ability to update plugins, which has caused significant disruption for WP Engine’s users. This includes the discontinuation of security updates and plugin support, creating vulnerabilities for website owners who rely on WP Engine-hosted WordPress installations.
The conflict centers around accusations from Mullenweg that WP Engine has been profiting from the WordPress ecosystem without sufficiently contributing back to its development. Mullenweg publicly criticized WP Engine, referring to the company as a “cancer to WordPress” and accusing them of undermining the community ethos of the open-source project. WP Engine’s lawsuit, on the other hand, asserts that Automattic has been leveraging the WordPress and WooCommerce trademarks for anticompetitive purposes and even demanded 8% of WP Engine’s gross monthly revenue.
This legal battle has left parts of the WordPress community divided. Some developers and users are concerned about the precedent this sets for trademark control and the potential long-term impact on commercial entities built around WordPress. As of now, WP Engine is seeking injunctive relief and damages, and both parties seem to be digging in for a prolonged legal struggle.
This conflict could have broad implications for how commercial interests intersect with the open-source ethos of WordPress, and how trademark and licensing rights are managed moving forward.
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