The WordPress-WP Engine Conflict: A Deep Dive into Open Source Business Models and Ethics

WordPress, created in 2003, has become one of the world's most popular content management systems. It powers everything from personal blogs to White House websites, built on the principles of open-source software and the GPL (GNU General Public License). The WordPress ecosystem consists of several key entities:

1. WordPress Foundation - A non-profit organization that owns WordPress's trademarks and intellectual property
2. Automatic - Matt Mullenweg's company that operates WordPress.com and provides commercial WordPress services
3. WP Engine - A major commercial WordPress hosting provider

The Conflict

The drama began when Matt Mullenweg, WordPress's founder, publicly declared WP Engine a "cancer" on WordPress that needed to be eliminated. This unprecedented statement shocked the WordPress community, especially given WP Engine's significant position in the ecosystem.

Core Issues

Financial Demands

Mullenweg demanded that WP Engine pay 8.8% of their pre-tax revenue (estimated at $300 million annually) to support the WordPress community. This would amount to approximately $24 million per year. Notably, this demand was specifically targeted at WP Engine, not other WordPress hosting companies.

Trademark Usage

A central point of contention was WP Engine's use of the WordPress name. While WordPress is open-source, its trademark is controlled by the WordPress Foundation. Mullenweg argued that WP Engine was profiting from the WordPress name without adequately contributing back to the community.

Technical Modifications

Mullenweg criticized WP Engine for modifying certain WordPress features, such as limiting revision history to save server resources. He argued this created a subpar WordPress experience that could damage the platform's reputation.

Payment Processing Controversy

A particularly contentious issue involved WP Engine allegedly modifying WooCommerce's Stripe integration to redirect affiliate commissions away from the WordPress Foundation to themselves.

Escalation

The situation escalated when Automatic:

1. Blocked WP Engine's access to WordPress.org
2. Prevented WP Engine customers from accessing plugin updates
3. Attempted to seize control of ACF (Advanced Custom Fields), a popular plugin owned by WP Engine

The Employee Exodus

In a dramatic turn of events, Mullenweg offered Automatic employees who disagreed with his actions:

• 6 months' severance pay
• $30,000 bonus
• The condition: never work with WordPress again

Surprisingly, 99% of employees (159 people) took the offer, costing approximately $4.7 million.

Community Response

The WordPress community remains deeply divided over this conflict. Key concerns include:

1. The precedent it sets for open-source governance
2. The impact on end users who were caught in the crossfire
3. The ethics of using infrastructure access as leverage
4. The relationship between commercial interests and open-source communities

Broader Implications

This conflict raises several important questions about open-source software:

1. How should commercial entities contribute back to open-source projects they profit from?
2. What constitutes fair use of open-source trademarks in commercial contexts?
3. Where is the line between protecting a community and wielding excessive control?
4. How can open-source projects balance commercial interests with community benefits?

Current Status

The situation has evolved into legal proceedings, with both Automatic and WP Engine filing lawsuits against each other. The outcome remains uncertain, but the incident has already left an indelible mark on the open-source community and raised important questions about the future of open-source business models.

Lessons Learned

This conflict highlights several important lessons for the open-source community:

1. The need for clear governance structures in open-source projects
2. The importance of transparent communication about commercial relationships
3. The challenges of balancing commercial interests with community benefits
4. The potential risks of concentrated control in open-source projects

The WordPress-WP Engine conflict serves as a cautionary tale about the complex relationships between open-source projects, commercial entities, and community interests. It demonstrates how competing visions for an open-source project can lead to significant disruption for end users and raises important questions about the future of open-source software development and commercialization.