The Wordpress drama keeps getting worse

Summary

The recent turmoil in the WordPress community revolves around Matt Mullenweg's controversial actions against WP Engine, following its acquisition by a private equity firm. Mullenweg's demands for an 8% royalty and restrictions on WP Engine's access to WordPress.org sparked outrage, leading to public claims of security issues with the Advanced Custom Fields plugin. As tensions escalated, WP Engine filed a lawsuit against Mullenweg, further straining community relations. Mullenweg's decision to take control of the ACF plugin without consent marked a significant breach of open-source principles, prompting calls for accountability and a formal apology to restore trust within the community.

Takeaways

• 😲 The conflict began with Matt Mullenweg, CEO of WordPress, expressing frustration over WP Engine's lack of contributions to the WordPress community after being acquired by a private equity firm.
• 🤯 Matt Mullenweg's demand for an 8% royalty fee from WP Engine was deemed absurd by many, leading to heightened tensions between him and the hosting platform.
• 💥 Mullenweg's actions to restrict WP Engine users from accessing WordPress.org significantly jeopardized the security and update potential of WordPress plugins hosted on their platform.
• ⚖️ WP Engine filed a lawsuit against Mullenweg and Automatic, citing his aggressive tactics, including alleged threats and extortion towards their CEO.
• 🔒 ACF (Advanced Custom Fields) plugin became a focal point, with Mullenweg publicly announcing security issues, leading to discussions about users migrating away from it.
• 🛑 Mullenweg implemented a login blocker on WordPress.org for WP Engine users, escalating negative sentiment towards him and undermining community trust.
• 😬 Many in the WordPress community expressed disbelief and disappointment over Mullenweg's behavior, indicating that he was willing to damage the community he built.
• 📉 Mullenweg's reputation has plummeted due to his actions, with former colleagues and industry figures publicly condemning his decisions.
• 🤔 The takeover of the ACF plugin by WordPress.org marked an unprecedented move, with concerns about the implications for the open-source community.
• 🚨 Critics warn that this behavior sets a dangerous precedent for open-source software, potentially leading to further conflicts and undermining the collaborative spirit of the community.

Q & A

What prompted Matt Mullenweg's conflict with WP Engine?

Matt Mullenweg became upset with WP Engine after it was acquired by a private equity firm and began focusing on profitability, which he felt was not contributing enough back to the WordPress community.

What was Matt Mullenweg's controversial demand regarding WP Engine?

Mullenweg controversially demanded an 8% royalty fee on all profits made by WP Engine, which many found to be absurd and unreasonable.

How did Matt Mullenweg's actions affect WP Engine users?

He restricted WP Engine users' access to WordPress.org, which impeded their ability to update plugins and access essential resources, thereby compromising the security and functionality of their sites.

What significant action did WordPress.org take concerning the Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) plugin?

WordPress.org took over the ACF plugin, creating a fork without the consent of its original developers, which is unprecedented in open-source history.

What are the implications of WordPress.org's actions for the open-source community?

The actions taken against the ACF plugin raise serious concerns about the governance of open-source projects and could set a dangerous precedent for other platforms.

How did the community react to Matt Mullenweg's behavior?

The community largely condemned Mullenweg's behavior as unprofessional and damaging, with many calling for accountability and expressing concern over the future of WordPress.

What advice was given to Matt Mullenweg regarding his conduct?

Critics advised him to issue a public apology and cease his hostile actions, emphasizing that further attacks would only harm the community he helped build.

What did some critics fear regarding the precedent set by the ACF plugin takeover?

Critics feared that if such actions became the norm, other open-source providers might follow suit, leading to a loss of trust and collaboration in the open-source ecosystem.

What sentiments were expressed by ex-employees of Automatic regarding the situation?

Ex-employees expressed shame and disillusionment with the actions taken under Mullenweg's leadership, feeling that they tarnished the company's legacy.

What key themes emerged from the discussion about the conflict?

Key themes include the importance of community trust, the ethical responsibilities of open-source leaders, and the potential consequences of retaliatory actions in a collaborative environment.