WordPress.org Free Services Suspended: What It Means for Users and Developers
Matt Mullenweg, WordPress co-founder and Automattic CEO, has pulled the plug on several key services for free WordPress.org users. New account registrations, plugin/theme submissions, and even photo uploads have been abruptly halted, leaving many users and developers in limbo.
According to Mullenweg, WP Engine, despite being a major hosting provider for WordPress and offering enterprise solutions, tools, and services, has long been perceived as an integral part of the WordPress ecosystem. Automattic, therefore, sought to require WP Engine to obtain a paid trademark license for WordPress.
In subsequent developments, Automattic temporarily lifted the restrictions on WP Engine and proposed that the company either allocate 8% of its monthly revenue as a licensing fee or direct the equivalent amount toward employee salaries to support the development of applications for WordPress.org. However, WP Engine declined this proposal, leading Automattic to reimpose the restrictions.
Market observers have criticized Automattic’s demand for 8% revenue sharing from WP Engine, viewing it as unreasonable and potentially detrimental to the WordPress open-source community. If Automattic succeeds in enforcing this revenue-sharing model, it could set a precedent for other open-source software projects, which might face similar demands as they scale.
Notably, many individuals, including some within Automattic’s own ranks, oppose Mullenweg’s approach, citing concerns that it could jeopardize the future development of the WordPress project. There is even speculation that this controversy might drive the open-source community to establish alternative platforms to replace WordPress.org.
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