The WordPress community has been embroiled in a heated controversy between WordPress founder and Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg and WP Engine, a popular hosting service for WordPress websites. The core issue revolves around the handling of revision history for posts and the usage of the WordPress trademark.
Mullenweg criticized WP Engine for disabling the revision history feature, which he believes is essential for protecting user data. He also called out WP Engine for its alleged lack of contribution to the open-source project and for causing confusion among customers by using the “WP” brand.
In response, WP Engine sent a cease-and-desist letter to Mullenweg and Automattic, claiming fair use of the WordPress trademark. Automattic, in turn, accused WP Engine of breaching trademark rules and interfering with WordPress resources.
The dispute escalated further when Mullenweg banned WP Engine from accessing WordPress.org resources, affecting the update of plugins and themes for many websites. WP Engine retaliated by claiming that Mullenweg’s actions disrupted the entire WordPress ecosystem.
In an attempt to clarify the situation, WP Engine updated its website to emphasize its independence from the WordPress Foundation and made changes to its plan names. Mullenweg clarified that the issue was centered around trademarks and the lack of a licensing deal with WP Engine.
The controversy raised concerns within the WordPress community about trademark definitions and the potential impact on developers and providers. The WordPress Foundation’s move to trademark “Managed WordPress” and “Hosted WordPress” also sparked worries about future restrictions on the use of WordPress-related terms.
The legal battle between WP Engine and Automattic culminated in a lawsuit filed by WP Engine alleging abuse of power by Mullenweg and Automattic. Automattic dismissed the claims as meritless and expressed confidence in the federal court’s assessment of the case.
The conflict led to internal upheaval within Automattic, with 159 employees leaving the company due to disagreements over Mullenweg’s leadership. New appointments and changes in leadership within Automattic and the WordPress community reflected the ongoing impact of the dispute on the organizations involved.
As the controversy continues to unfold, stakeholders in the WordPress ecosystem are closely watching the developments and seeking clarity on trademark usage and governance issues. The rift between Automattic and WP Engine underscores the challenges of managing a widely-used open-source platform and the complexities of trademark enforcement in the digital landscape.
