My Thoughts on the WordPress Drama
I wrote about Matt's post the other day, but things have escalated significantly since then. Like, SIGNIFICANTLY. Here's my thoughts...
Ok, if you're not up to date with all the WordPress drama, here's a very quick catch up with what's been going on, along with some links for further reading:
- Matt Mullenweg (WordPress co-founder and CEO) shit the bed and wrote a post about how WP Engine are "a cancer" for disabling WordPress' shitty implementation of revisions.
- WP Engine sent Matt a cease and desist telling Matt that he's a scummy guy and needs to stop being so scummy.
- Automattic (the company that owns WordPress) sent their own cease and desist back to WP Engine saying "we're not scummy, you are!"
- Matt then wrote a follow up piece claiming that this wasn't about WP Engine disabling the shitty revisions tool, and it's not about money either (yeah right). Oh God no, dear reader; this is about trademarks.
And to protect those trademarks, WordPress have decided to block WP Engine's ability to access wordpress.org. That means that there's no way for WP Engine's customers to do update things like plugins and themes. So if a zero day hits a plugin, and you're a WP Engine customer, you're shit out of luck.
Once again it's the users/customers that are bearing the brunt of this millionaire dick measuring contest.
Matt opens his post by saying...
I’ve been writing and talking about WP Engine a lot in the last week, but I want to be crystal clear about the core issue at play.
In short, WP Engine is violating WordPress’ trademarks. Moreover, they have been doing so for years.
Ok, so now this is about trademarks, and WordPress wanting to protect them. Great, what about the hundreds of other companies using the WP moniker in their name? Some examples off the top of my head:
Are Matt and co. gonna start a tirade against these companies who make money off the WP brand too?
Reading the cease and desist from WP Engine, it seems to me that Matt has tried to extort get more money out of WP Engine, which failed. So he spat his dummy out and has decided to flex.
Overall it seems very childish and, quite frankly, pathetic to me. I for one am glad I switched to Kirby a while back.
I don't think Matt is a bad dude. He's done a lot of good for open source and the communities he works in. However, I don't see why he needs to bring this shit to a public forum. All it does is hurt WordPress as a brand, and WP Engine's customers.
I suppose this is what happens when millionaires get butt-hurt...
Want more?
So you've read this post and you're still not satisfied? Ok then, here's some other stuff for you to do: