WordPress.org, the open-source platform powering millions of websites worldwide, has announced a temporary pause on several core services. This decision comes amidst an escalating legal dispute with web hosting giant WP Engine.
The dispute centers around WP Engine’s use of the WordPress name and platform. WordPress.org maintains that WP Engine has profited significantly from the open-source project without adequately contributing back to its development and community.
Key WordPress Services Temporarily Unavailable:
- New Account Registrations: While users can still install WordPress independently, new account creation on WordPress.org will be suspended.
- Directory Submissions: Submissions to the Plugin, Theme, and Photo directories will be temporarily halted.
WordPress Continued Services:
- Localization: Translation efforts will continue.
- Forums: Community forums will remain accessible for support and discussions.
Legal Battle:
The ongoing legal battle with WP Engine has significantly impacted WordPress.org’s resources and volunteer efforts. The platform’s owner, Matt Mullenweg, has publicly criticized WP Engine’s business practices and accused them of exploiting the open-source project.
WP Engine has countered with its own lawsuit, alleging anti-competitive behavior and attempted extortion by WordPress.org.
Outlook:
WordPress.org aims to resume all services as soon as possible. However, the duration of the service pause and the ultimate resolution of the legal dispute remain uncertain.
As you may have heard, I’m legally compelled to provide free labor and services to WP Engine thanks to the success of their expensive lawyers, so in order to avoid bothering the court I will say that none of the above applies to WP Engine, so if they need to bypass any of the above please just have your high-priced attorneys talk to my high-priced attorneys and we’ll arrange access, or just reach out directly to me on Slack and I’ll fix things for you.
I hope to find the time, energy, and money to reopen all of this sometime in the new year. Right now much of the time I would spend making WordPress better is being taken up defending against WP Engine’s legal attacks. Their attacks are against Automattic, but also me individually as the owner of WordPress.org, which means if they win I can be personally liable for millions of dollars of damages.
via Matt Mullenweg’s official post, “Holiday Break”
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