The world of WordPress, one of the widespread applied sciences for creating and internet hosting web sites, goes via a really heated controversy. The core problem is the struggle between WordPress founder and Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg and WP Engine, which hosts web sites constructed on WordPress.
WordPress expertise 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 known as out WP Engine investor Silver Lake and mentioned they don’t contribute sufficiently to the open supply venture and that WP Engine’s use of the “WP” model has confused prospects 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 lined beneath honest use.
The firm claimed that Mullenweg had mentioned he would take a “scorched earth nuclear strategy” towards WP Engine except 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 known as out WP Engine, alleging the internet hosting service has confused customers.
“The abbreviation ‘WP’ shouldn’t be lined by the WordPress emblems, however please don’t use it in a method that confuses individuals. For instance, many individuals assume 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, group impression, and trademark battle
Mullenweg then banned WP Engine from accessing the assets of WordPress.org. While parts like plug-ins and themes are beneath open supply license, suppliers like WP Engine should run a service to fetch them, which isn’t lined beneath the open supply license.
This broke numerous web sites and prevented them from updating plug-ins and themes. It additionally left a few of them open to safety assaults. The group 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 prospects’ entry to WordPress.org.
“Matt Mullenweg’s unprecedented and unwarranted motion interferes with the traditional operation of the whole WordPress ecosystem, impacting not simply WP Engine and our prospects, however all WordPress plugin builders and open supply customers who rely on WP Engine instruments like ACF,” WP Engine mentioned.
On September 27, WordPress.org lifted the ban quickly, permitting WP Engine to entry assets till October 1.
Mullenweg wrote a weblog put up clarifying that the struggle is barely towards WP Engine over emblems. He mentioned Automattic has been making an attempt 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 group 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 group can be asking about clear steering round how they will 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 fearful that if these emblems are granted, they may very well be used towards them.
Open-source content material administration system Ghost’s founder John O’Nolan additionally weighed in on the difficulty and criticized management of 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 website’s footer to make clear it’s not straight affiliated with the WordPress Foundation or owns the WordPress commerce.
“WP Engine is a proud member and supporter of the group of WordPress® customers. The WordPress® trademark is the mental property of the WordPress Foundation, and the Woo® and WooCommerce® emblems 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 suggest an endorsement by WordPress Foundation or WooCommerce, Inc. WP Engine shouldn’t be endorsed or owned by, or affiliated with, the WordPress Foundation or WooCommerce, Inc,” the up to date description on the positioning 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 a press release that it modified these phrases to moot Automattic’s claims.
“We, like the remainder of the WordPress group, use the WordPress mark to explain our enterprise. Automattic’s suggestion that WPE wants a license to do this is solely incorrect, 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.
WP Engine lawsuit and Automattic exodus
On October 3, WP Engine sued Automattic and Mullenweg over abuse of energy in a courtroom in California. The internet hosting firm additionally alleged that Automattic and Mullenweg didn’t preserve their guarantees to run WordPress open-source tasks with none constraints and giving builders the liberty to construct, run, modify and redistribute the software program.
“Matt Mullenweg’s conduct during the last ten days has uncovered important conflicts of curiosity and governance points that, if left unchecked, threaten to destroy that belief. WP Engine has no selection however to pursue these claims to guard its individuals, company companions, prospects, and the broader WordPress group,” the corporate mentioned in a press release to TechCrunch.
The lawsuit additionally notes alleged texts from Mullenweg about probably hiring WP Engine CEO Heather Brunner. In a touch upon Hacker News, Mullenweg mentioned that Brunner wished to be an government director of WordPress.org.
In response, Automattic known as this case meritless.
“I stayed up final night time studying WP Engine’s Complaint, looking for any advantage anyplace to it. The complete factor is meritless, and we sit up for the federal courtroom’s consideration of their lawsuit,” the corporate’s authorized consultant, Neal Katyal, mentioned in a weblog put up.
On the identical day, 159 Automattic staff who didn’t agree with Mullenweg’s route of the corporate and WordPress total took a severance package deal and left the corporate. Almost 80% of people that left labored in Automattic’s Ecosystem / WordPress division.
You can contact this reporter at im@ivanmehta.com or on Signal: @ivan.42
