On Wednesday, when WP Engine was denied access to WordPress.org’s resources the two companies’ tensions greatly increased. WordPress.org is an open-source web hosting platform. The web hosting platform WP Engine was created especially for WordPress websites. It offers managed WordPress hosting services, which allow users to concentrate on content and site administration by handling technical concerns like security, performance optimization, backups, and updates. The prohibition was announced by Automattic CEO and co-creator of WordPress, Matt Mullenweg, who said that WP Engine will no longer have access to necessary resources like themes and plug-ins because of ongoing legal concerns.
Mullenweg said that WP Engine should manage its own infrastructure, including directories and login systems, rather than relying on WordPress.org’s resources, accusing the latter of trying to control the WordPress experience. WP Engine’s strategy was further criticized by him, who called it a distorted version of WordPress’s GPL code created to increase WP Engine’s earnings.
Customers of WP Engine are currently unable to update themes or install plug-ins due to the ban, and WordPress developers are concerned about security flaws since users might not be able to obtain necessary upgrades. Although WP Engine acknowledged the problem and said they were working on a solution, they assured users that site security and performance would not be impacted.
WP Engine responded by criticizing Mullenweg and charging him of unfairly interfering with their access to WordPress.org by utilizing his position. They contended that in addition to having an impact on WP Engine’s clientele, his actions also have an adverse effect on the larger WordPress community, which includes plugin developers who depend on WP Engine features like Advanced Custom Fields (ACF).
The dispute has been escalating for a while. Mullenweg openly denounced WP Engine last week, calling the business a “cancer to WordPress” and charging it with making money off of the community without doing enough to support it. As a result, WP Engine demanded in a cease-and-desist letter that Mullenweg take back his remarks. Automattic, in turn, accused WP Engine of violating its trademarks in a cease-and-desist letter that it sent in response.
Later, the WordPress Foundation verified that WP Engine had violated WordPress’s trademark policy. Mullenweg underlined that trademarks are at the core of the conflict and alluded to previous attempts to establish a licensing agreement with WP Engine.
They can do without us Have no more