Mullenweg has gone 'nuclear' against tech investing giant Silver Lake
Matt Mullenweg is involved in a legal dispute with Silver Lake regarding WP Engine's trademark violations and contributions to WordPress, with lawsuits filed by both parties raising concerns about open-source commercialization.
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Matt Mullenweg, CEO of Automattic and co-founder of WordPress, is embroiled in a significant legal dispute with Silver Lake, the majority owner of WP Engine, a leading WordPress hosting provider. The conflict escalated after Mullenweg accused WP Engine of trademark violations and failing to contribute adequately to the WordPress ecosystem. He expressed frustration over unsuccessful licensing negotiations and publicly criticized WP Engine during a keynote speech at WordCamp, leading to a cease-and-desist letter from WP Engine. The situation intensified when WP Engine filed a lawsuit against Mullenweg and Automattic, claiming slander and anticompetitive practices. Mullenweg countered that WP Engine's lawsuit was meritless and highlighted the disparity in contributions to the WordPress community between Automattic and WP Engine. The dispute raises questions about the commercialization of open-source software and the responsibilities of companies within the WordPress ecosystem. Mullenweg's actions have drawn mixed reactions, with some employees leaving Automattic and others expressing concern over the potential damage to the WordPress community's trust.
- Matt Mullenweg is in a legal battle with Silver Lake over WP Engine's practices.
- The conflict centers on trademark violations and contributions to the WordPress ecosystem.
- WP Engine has filed a lawsuit against Mullenweg, claiming slander and anticompetitive behavior.
- Mullenweg argues that WP Engine has not adequately supported the WordPress community.
- The situation highlights challenges in monetizing open-source software.
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9 commentsIs that true?
They say it is … https://wordpress.org/40-percent-of-web/
As far as I can tell, the stat is for websites whose CMS is known, which is a far far smaller number.
>His mom wasn’t the only one confused.
>Bob Perkowitz, president of environmental nonprofit ecoAmerica, told CNBC that he’s known Mullenweg for 16 years and is even an investor in Automattic. For a number of his organizational and personal websites, Perkowitz said he’s long been a WP Engine customer. Tuning in remotely, he heard Mullenweg’s WordCamp presentation.
>“I always thought that was part of WordPress,” Perkowitz told CNBC in an interview, referring to WP Engine. “They’re misleading, and they don’t contribute to the community.”
>Perkowitz said he’s having his website administrator migrate all of the websites to different hosting companies.
Can you imagine being a 'journalist' and using an Automattic investor and personal friend of Matt's as a source to support the claim about WPEngine being misleading? I mean, seriously? Who cares what this guy thinks, he's hardly neutral (or even well informed).
Besides, does anyone believe someone would invest in the WordPress hosting company and then pay to host his sites somewhere else? I don't buy it. Not for a second.
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Tensions between WP Engine and Automattic escalated into a legal dispute after Matt Mullenweg criticized WP Engine's contributions, leading to revoked API access and concerns about WordPress's future.
If WordPress is to survive, Matt Mullenweg must be removed
Matt Mullenweg faces criticism for pressuring WP Engine after a rejected licensing proposal, with calls for his removal from leadership due to concerns over ethical conduct affecting the WordPress community.
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Matt Mullenweg criticized WP Engine for exploiting the WordPress ecosystem, leading to legal threats and access restrictions for its customers, while the community remains divided over the implications for WordPress's future.
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