The world of WordPress, one of the vital common applied sciences for creating and internet hosting web sites, goes by way of a really heated controversy. The core concern is the struggle between WordPress founder and Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg and WP Engine, which hosts web sites constructed on WordPress.
WordPress know-how is open supply and free, and it powers an enormous chunk of the web — round 40% of internet sites. Websites can host their very own WordPress occasion or use an answer supplier like Automattic or WP Engine for a plug-and-play resolution.
In mid-September, Mullenweg wrote a weblog put up calling WP Engine a “most cancers to WordPress.” He criticized the host for disabling the flexibility for customers to see and observe the revision historical past for each put up. Mullenweg believes this function is on the “core of the consumer promise of defending your knowledge” and mentioned that WP Engine turns it off by default to save cash.
He additionally referred to as out WP Engine investor Silver Lake and mentioned they don’t contribute sufficiently to the open supply undertaking and that WP Engine’s use of the “WP” model has confused clients into believing it’s a part of WordPress.
The authorized battle
In reply, WP Engine despatched a cease-and-desist letter to Mullenweg and Automattic to withdraw their feedback. It additionally mentioned that its use of the WordPress trademark was coated underneath honest use.
The firm claimed that Mullenweg had mentioned he would take a “scorched earth nuclear strategy” in opposition to WP Engine until it agreed to pay “a big share of its revenues for a license to the WordPress trademark.”
In response, Automattic despatched its personal cease-and-desist letter to WP Engine, saying that that they had breached WordPress and WooCommerce trademark utilization guidelines.
The WordPress Foundation additionally modified its Trademark Policy web page and referred to as out WP Engine, alleging the internet hosting service has confused customers.
“The abbreviation ‘WP’ just isn’t coated by the WordPress logos, however please don’t use it in a means that confuses individuals. For instance, many individuals suppose WP Engine is ‘WordPress Engine’ and formally related to WordPress, which it’s not. They have by no means as soon as even donated to the WordPress Foundation, regardless of making billions of income on prime of WordPress,” the up to date web page reads.
WP Engine ban, neighborhood affect, and trademark battle
Mullenweg then banned WP Engine from accessing the assets of WordPress.org. While parts like plug-ins and themes are underneath open supply license, suppliers like WP Engine need to run a service to fetch them, which isn’t coated underneath the open supply license.
This broke a variety of web sites and prevented them from updating plug-ins and themes. It additionally left a few of them open to safety assaults. The neighborhood was not happy with this strategy of leaving small web sites helpless.
In response to the incident, WP Engine mentioned in a put up that Mullenweg had misused his management of WordPress to intrude with WP Engine clients’ entry to WordPress.org.
“Matt Mullenweg’s unprecedented and unwarranted motion interferes with the conventional operation of all the WordPress ecosystem, impacting not simply WP Engine and our clients, however all WordPress plugin builders and open supply customers who depend upon WP Engine instruments like ACF,” WP Engine mentioned.
On September 27, WordPress.org lifted the ban briefly, permitting WP Engine to entry assets till October 1.
Mullenweg wrote a weblog put up clarifying that the struggle is barely in opposition to WP Engine over logos. He mentioned Automattic has been attempting to dealer a trademark licensing deal for a very long time, however WP Engine’s solely response has been to “string us alongside.”
The WordPress neighborhood and different tasks really feel this might additionally occur to them and need clarification from Automattic, which has an unique license to the WordPress trademark. The neighborhood can also be asking about clear steerage round how they’ll and may’t use “WordPress.”
The WordPress Foundation, which owns the trademark, has additionally filed to trademark “Managed WordPress” and “Hosted WordPress.” Developers and suppliers are nervous that if these logos are granted, they could possibly be used in opposition to them.
Open-source content material administration system Ghost’s founder John O’Nolan additionally weighed in on the problem and criticized management WordPress being with one individual.
“The net wants extra impartial organizations, and it wants extra range. 40% of the net and 80% of the CMS market shouldn’t be managed by anyone particular person,” he mentioned in an X put up.
On September 30, a day earlier than the WordPress.org deadline for the ban on WP Engine, the internet hosting firm up to date its web site’s footer to make clear it isn’t straight affiliated with the WordPress Foundation or owns the WordPress commerce.
“WP Engine is a proud member and supporter of the neighborhood of WordPress® customers. The WordPress® trademark is the mental property of the WordPress Foundation, and the Woo® and WooCommerce® logos are the mental property of WooCommerce, Inc. Uses of the WordPress®, Woo®, and WooCommerce® names on this web site are for identification functions solely and don’t indicate an endorsement by WordPress Foundation or WooCommerce, Inc. WP Engine just isn’t endorsed or owned by, or affiliated with, the WordPress Foundation or WooCommerce, Inc,” the up to date description on the location learn.
The firm additionally modified its plan names from “Essential WordPress,” “Core WordPress,” and “Enterprise WordPress” to “Essential,” “Core,” and “Enterprise.”
WP Engine mentioned in an announcement that it modified these phrases to moot Automattic’s claims.
“We, like the remainder of the WordPress neighborhood, use the WordPress mark to explain our enterprise. Automattic’s suggestion that WPE wants a license to do this is just mistaken, and displays a misunderstanding of trademark legislation. To moot its claimed considerations, now we have eradicated the few examples Automattic gave in its September 23rd letter to us,” an organization spokesperson instructed TechCrunch.
On October 1, the corporate posted on X that it has efficiently deployed its personal resolution for updating plug-ins and themes.
