It’s been an interesting few days in the WordPress ecosystem, to say the least. We’re now in day four or five of what seems like an escalating drama between WP Engine and Automattic. The ongoing clash between the two giants is starting to have real effects on WordPress users, including myself, and it’s frustrating to watch it unfold.

What Started It All?

Recently, WP Engine removed the news widget from the WordPress admin homepage. At first glance, this seems like a minor change, but it has sparked a strong reaction, especially from Matt Mullenweg of Automattic. His argument is that WP Engine did this to limit the distribution of information, particularly from sources that aren’t directly linked to WP Engine. It’s an interesting point, but is it really enough to warrant such a drastic response?

WP Engine claims they were within their rights to remove the widget. WordPress is open source, and anyone can modify it to fit their needs. But Matt’s argument seems to imply that this move goes against the spirit of WordPress—something about stifling the free flow of information in the community.

WP Engine Banned from the WordPress Repository

Here’s where things get serious. WP Engine has now been banned from accessing the WordPress repository. This means if you’re a WP Engine user, you can no longer update themes or plugins directly from the WordPress dashboard. You have to manually download and install updates. As someone who’s been part of the WordPress ecosystem for years, I can say that this is a huge deal. We rely on those automatic updates for security and functionality, and now they’re making it unnecessarily complicated for WP Engine users.

Matt posted about this on September 25th, stating that WP Engine was banned from WordPress.org. It’s clear he feels strongly about WP Engine’s control over the WordPress experience, and this is his way of pushing back. Honestly, it feels like the start of a bigger battle between the two.

How This Impacts Us as Users

For users like you and me, the implications are pretty significant. I mean, if you’re running a business, time is money. Now, WP Engine clients are left scrambling to manually update their plugins and themes. More importantly, there are serious security concerns. Platforms like Patchstack, which handle WordPress vulnerabilities, have already issued a public service announcement. They’re halting the release of new security vulnerabilities because WP Engine users won’t be able to patch them easily.

This means that WP Engine users are potentially sitting on a ticking time bomb, especially if they don’t manually update their plugins or themes. It’s not just inconvenient; it’s a real-world issue that could lead to compromised websites and, by extension, compromised businesses.

My Thoughts on the Bigger Issue: Control of WordPress

As someone who’s been part of the WordPress ecosystem for years, I can’t help but think that if this level of targeting had happened in the early days of WordPress, we wouldn’t be where we are today. This move is drastic and very targeted. Today, it’s WP Engine. Tomorrow, it could be anyone using the name “WordPress” on their website or materials. And that’s terrifying.

WordPress has become the daily bread and butter of so many people and companies. If this is how Automattic plans to lock down and threaten users—the very users who helped build the ecosystem—then I fear that WordPress is the one that will suffer in the long run. The community will get hurt. Several companies, including mine, Pixelvise, sell Managed WordPress and WordPress solutions. We even have an open-source theme under our website, pixelvisewp.com. Does that mean we could face litigation one day, or worse, have our site shut down?

The language surrounding the use of the terms “WordPress” and “WP” is vague at best. It says usage shouldn’t create confusion, but where are the clear guidelines? What does that even mean? This lack of clarity is a problem that could lead to widespread fear and overreach.

The WordPress Bill of Rights

One of the most important things to consider here is the WordPress Bill of Rights, which grants every user certain freedoms:

• The freedom to run the program for any purpose.
• The freedom to study how the program works and modify it to suit your needs.
• The freedom to redistribute copies of the original program.
• The freedom to distribute modified versions to others.

WP Engine’s modifications to the WordPress admin page were within the scope of these rights, but the way this situation is being handled by Automattic feels like a direct contradiction to the very foundation of these freedoms.

There are even multiple forks of WordPress, like ClassicPress, which shows how open-source is supposed to work. Different versions, different visions, and everyone is allowed to exist. This attack, however, feels biased and personal.

An Unprofessional Response

The response from Matt Mullenweg has also been alarming. In the cease-and-desist letter sent to Automattic, WP Engine highlighted that Matt had mentioned the phrase “nuclear war” in reference to WP Engine. That, to me, is extremely unprofessional and makes it clear that this feud is being handled with unnecessary hostility. You can read the letter here: Cease-and-Desist Letter

The Role of Community and Contributions

Here’s where I stand: I believe in community contributions to WordPress. But the fact that it’s open-source means that no one is actually obliged to contribute. It’s a choice. And to see Automattic wielding control over companies that use WordPress in their business model feels wrong. I’m not taking sides in this battle. I love WordPress and have built my career around it, but the only ones being affected by this conflict are regular users and companies like mine.

I think it’s important to step back and ask: what kind of WordPress ecosystem do we want to be a part of? Because if we continue down this path, I fear that WordPress as we know it will suffer.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a WP Engine user, what are your thoughts? Has this impacted you directly, and are you considering switching hosts? Personally, this feud feels unnecessary, and it’s troubling to see how it’s playing out. Let me know your thoughts in the comments—this is definitely a conversation that the whole community needs to be part of.

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