The WordPress vs. WP Engine drama, explained
This story has been updated throughout with more details as the story has developed. We will continue to do so as the case and dispute are ongoing.
The world of WordPress, one of the most popular technologies for creating and hosting websites, is currently embroiled in a heated controversy. At the center of the dispute are WordPress founder and Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg and WP Engine, a hosting service that provides solutions for websites built on WordPress.
The controversy has also led to an exodus of employees from Automattic. On October 3, 159 Automattic employees who did not agree with Mullenweg's direction of the company and WordPress overall took a severance package and left the company. Almost 80% of those who left worked in Automattic's Ecosystem/WordPress division. On October 8, WordPress announced that Mary Hubbard, who was TikTok U.S.'s head of governance and experience, would be starting as executive director. This post was previously held by Josepha Haden Chomphosy, who was one of the 159 people leaving Automattic.
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The core issue is the fight over trademarks, with Mullenweg accusing WP Engine of misusing the "WP" brand and failing to contribute sufficiently to the open-source project. WP Engine, on the other hand, claims that its use of the WordPress trademark is covered under fair use and that Mullenweg's actions are an attempt to exert control over the entire WordPress ecosystem.
The controversy began in mid-September when Mullenweg wrote a blog post criticizing WP Engine for disabling the ability for users to see and track the revision history for every post. Mullenweg believes this feature is essential for protecting user data and accused WP Engine of turning it off by default to save money. In response, WP Engine sent a cease-and-desist letter to Mullenweg and Automattic, asking them to withdraw their comments.
The company claimed that Mullenweg had said he would take a "scorched Earth nuclear approach" against WP Engine unless it agreed to pay a significant percentage of its revenues for a license to the WordPress trademark.
Automattic responded with its own cease-and-desist letter, alleging that WP Engine had breached WordPress and WooCommerce trademark usage rules. The WordPress Foundation also updated its Trademark policy page, calling out WP Engine for confusing users and failing to contribute to the open-source project. Mullenweg then banned WP Engine from accessing the resources of WordPress.org, which led to a breakdown in the normal operation of the WordPress ecosystem. This move prevented many websites from updating plug-ins and themes, leaving them vulnerable to security attacks.
WP Engine responded by saying that Mullenweg had misused his control of WordPress to interfere with WP Engine customers' access to WordPress.org. The company claimed that this move was an attempt to exert control over the entire WordPress ecosystem and impact not just WP Engine and its customers but aLL WordPress plugin developers and open-source users.
The controversy has had a significant impact on the WordPress community, with many developers and providers expressing concerns over relying on commercial open-source products related to WordPress. The community is also asking for clear guidance on how they can and cannot use the "WordPress" brand. The WordPress Foundation has filed to trademark "Managed WordPress" and "Hosted WordPress," which has raised concerns among developers and providers that these trademarks could be used against them.
On October 3, WP Engine sued Automattic and Mullenweg over abuse of power in a California court. The company alleged that Automattic and Mullenweg did not keep their promises to run WordPress open-source projects without any constraints and giving developers the freedom to build, run, modify, and redistribute the software. Automattic responded by calling the lawsuit meritless and saying that it looks forward to the federal court's consideration of the case.
In conclusion, the controversy between Mullenweg and WP Engine has raised important questions about the control and governance of the WordPress ecosystem. The dispute has also highlighted the need for clear guidance on how to use the "WordPress" brand and the importance of transparency and accountability in the open-source community. As the controversy continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how it will impact the WordPress community and the future of the platform. One thing is certain, however: the battle for control and trademarks will have far-reaching consequences for the entire open-source community.
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