Hacker News with Generative AI: WordPress

Defending Open Source: Protecting the Future of WordPress (automattic.com)
WP Engine revs Automattic lawsuit with antitrust claim (theregister.com)
WP Engine, a hosting provider for websites running open source WordPress software, has revised its legal complaint against rival Automattic and its CEO Matthew Mullenweg to include antitrust allegations.
Open-Source Software Is in Crisis (ieee.org)
A new saga is unfolding in the open-source realm. Matt Mullenweg, founder of open-source web content management system WordPress, which powers about 40 percent of the world’s websites, has accused WP Engine, a hosting provider for WordPress-built websites, of violating WordPress trademarks. They’re currently embroiled in a legal battle.
WordPress installations have been forwarding PII without consent for 17 years (reddit.com)
Today I learned that WordPress sends your site URL regularly to Matt's servers (wp.org). That includes localhost sites that have never been exposed to the internet.
WordPress.com's owner launched a tracker for sites leaving WP Engine (theverge.com)
WordPress.com’s owner launched a tracker for sites leaving WP Engine.
WP Engine Tracker (wordpressenginetracker.com)
This is the number of websites that have left WP Engine and found a new home since Sep 21, 2024.
Defending Open Source: Protecting the Future of WordPress (automattic.com)
In 2018, $100 billion private equity firm Silver Lake entered the WordPress ecosystem. It made a $250m investment in WP Engine, and placed three officers on a four-person Board. Over the next few years, WP Engine acquired hosts, plugins, and themes, and consolidated power. As is typical for private equity owned companies, their goal was profit and ROI, extracting maximum value from the open source community while giving back minimally—a damaging ethos counter to the spirit of open source.
Defending Open Source: Protecting the Future of WordPress (automattic.com)
Ask HN: Concerns on Keep Using WordPress (ycombinator.com)
Hi all, I am using WordPress from its inception in 2003.
Mullenweg using official WordPress X account to argue with fork maintainer (twitter.com)
Automattic motion to dismiss WP Engine lawsuit [pdf] (courtlistener.com)
Matt Mullenweg says Automattic is 'short-staffed' amid WP Engine drama (techcrunch.com)
Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg says the company is “very short-staffed” amid WordPress’s ongoing drama with WP Engine, which hosts websites built on WordPress. The WordPress co-founder took the stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 on Wednesday.
Leaving Wordpress.org: Here's Why and What It Means for Paid Memberships Pro (paidmembershipspro.com)
On October 17, 2024 we emailed [email protected] and asked them to close the Paid Memberships Pro listing in the WordPress.org Plugins Repository. They complied.
Mullenweg threatens to take over Paid Memberships Pro (therepository.email)
Matt Mullenweg has threatened to take over Paid Memberships Pro (PMPro) in the WordPress.org plugin repository, according to private messages between the WordPress co-founder and PMPro CEO Jason Coleman.
Leaving Wordpress.org (paidmembershipspro.com)
On October 17, 2024 we emailed [email protected] and asked them to close the Paid Memberships Pro listing in the WordPress.org Plugins Repository. They complied.
So long WordPress (chriswiegman.com)
I’ve officially left the WordPress project after 14+ years of contributing including:
WP Engine – Ensuring Stability and Security: Recent Timeline (wpengine.com)
We’re keenly aware of the impact recent events have had on the WordPress community and ecosystem, and we’re deeply grateful to the many partners and customers who have stood by WP Engine and trust us to serve you in the face of unprecedented and unwarranted attacks and attempts to disrupt our platform.
WordPress forces user conf organizers to share social media credentials (theregister.com)
Organisers of WordCamps, community-organized events for WordPress users, have been ordered to take down some social media posts and share their login credentials for social networks.
Mullenweg's Automattic acts to take control of WordCamps from local organizers (twitter.com)
WordPress on Hiatus (thefragens.com)
I have put my contributions to WP Core on hiatus.
Ensuring Stability and Security: Recent Timeline (wpengine.com)
We’re keenly aware of the impact recent events have had on the WordPress community and ecosystem, and we’re deeply grateful to the many partners and customers who have stood by WP Engine and trust us to serve you in the face of unprecedented and unwarranted attacks and attempts to disrupt our platform.
Matt Mullenweg describes building a business around WordPress.org as a "gamble" (bullenweg.com)
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Oct. 21, 2024 /BSNewswire/ – Matthew Charles Mullenweg announces acquisition of Bullenweg.com to his employees at Automattic. Matthew had the following to say:
The court of podcast opinion – WP Engine vs. Automattic (60 episodes analyzed) (podengine.ai)
This analysis examines coverage of the WordPress/Automattic vs. WP Engine controversy across 64 podcast episodes from October 2024. The data reveals a complex narrative around trademark disputes, open source contributions, and platform control, with 59% of podcasts favoring WP Engine's position, 22% favoring WordPress/Automattic, and 19% maintaining neutrality.
"WordPress.org is not WordPress" [pdf] (courtlistener.com)
Over 6k WordPress hacked to install plugins pushing infostealers (bleepingcomputer.com)
WordPress sites are being hacked to install malicious plugins that display fake software updates and errors to push information-stealing malware.
Internal blog post reveals Automattic's plan (techcrunch.com)
According to an internal blog post a source shared with TechCrunch, Automattic was crafting a plan to get significantly stricter about trademark enforcement across WordPress and its e-commerce platform WooCommerce since at least the beginning of the year. Separate sources have confirmed the authenticity of the post.
Regarding our Cease and Desist letter to Automattic (wpfusion.com)
On October 12th we sent a cease and desist letter to Automattic and WordPress.com regarding the unauthorized use of the WP Fusion trademark on .com's private mirror of the WordPress plugin repository. Automattic has responded and agreed to take down the listing. Here's a bit of background on why we filed the C&D, and the outcome.
WordPress, Drama, Leadership, and the Web (anderegg.ca)
The WordPress saga continues.
WPE files for injunctive relief against Automattic (reddit.com)
WPE just filed for a preliminary injunction
WP Engine asks court to stop Matt Mullenweg from blocking access to WordPress (theverge.com)
WP Engine is asking a court to put a stop to Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg’s public campaign against the company.