Pixy Misa at Ambient Irony has an update (or 2) on the continuing saga that is WordPress. Daily News Stuff 5 October 2024: The Magic Word Is Tapioca Edition
There are 2 entities involved in WordPress. Well, many more than 2, but let's start there. First, there is WordPress.org. This is a non-profit foundation taking care of the WordPress code. There is also WordPress.com, a commercial site, run by the company Automattic, that has some free offerings, but makes money by supporting websites for corporations, and people who want to be able to sell stuff on the internet.
Matthew Mullenweg, CEO of Automattic and co-creator of the open source software, has recently gone to war against Automattic's competition, WP Engine. WP Engine retaliated with a suit charging libel, and extortion.
Mark Muppetly, [one of Pixy's nicknames for Mullenweg] co-founder of WordPress and CEO of Automattic, continues his spiraling descent into psychosis: WordPress.org just belongs to me. (The Verge)
WordPress.org is not non-profit organisation managing the open-source WordPress code.
"I happily provide WordPress.org services to literally every other host," Mullenweg says. There is "no requirement to give back. WordPress will be open-source forever and ever, and so there will never be any legal requirement to give back." But WordPress does still "request" that companies contribute something. "It's better for WordPress if they give back."WP Engine's lawyers are reportedly looking at replacing their Porsches with Ferraris.
Since this questionable move was not greeted with universal cheer at Automattic, a buyout was offered to employees wanting to flee the impending chaos. (And Pixy is Australian, not a bad speller.)
159 Automattic employees (the commercial side of WordPress) have taken the hint and the available severance offer and walked out. (The Register)
They are not going down with the ship.
That 159 employees is about 8% of the company.
And then there's this...
Meanwhile Melk Murgatroyd decided to join in a Hacker News thread on the WP Engine suit and... Potentially libel the party suing him. (Hacker News)
This seems unwise.
If you're interested in the details, the article at the register is interesting... click all the links for those details.
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