WordPress co-founder and Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg, talking on stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 on Wednesday, stated he’s not frightened that the current authorized drama between his firm, Automattic, and WordPress host WP Engine might result in a fork of the open supply WordPress software program. In actual fact, he stated, he’d welcome it.
“There could be a fork. I imply, we’ve had WordPress forks earlier than — in all probability about three or 4 occasions within the historical past [of WordPress],” Mullenweg stated, in response to a query about whether or not he was frightened concerning the potential of a fork. “That’s one of many lovely issues about open supply is that there could be a fork.”
The Automattic CEO additionally prompt that rival WP Engine primarily had already forked the software program as a result of the model they run is “very, very completely different” from what the WordPress core is at the moment. If WordPress was then formally forked because of this rising discontent along with his course of the group and the authorized battle over using the WordPress trademark, Mullenweg prompt that may be the higher path.
“I believe that’d be implausible, really. So individuals can have various governance or another method,” he famous.
The exec additionally identified that the dimensions of the WordPress group may help such a transfer. WordPress 6.7, which is popping out in a couple of weeks, had over 600 contributors, for instance. “Solely about 10% of these are from Automattic,” Mullenweg stated.
Plus, he famous that the WordPress core software program had seen some 40 million downloads since September 17. “The precise exercise of WordPress goes fairly robust,” he added.
The interview got here amid a heated authorized dispute with the WordPress internet hosting supplier WP Engine, which has upset the open supply group, and led to the departure of over 150 Automattic workers who disagree with Mullenweg’s new course.
Mullenweg alleged that WP Engine’s use of the “WP” model is supposed to confuse individuals into pondering that WP Engine is formally related to WordPress, when it isn’t, and suggests the corporate doesn’t do sufficient to contribute to WordPress, which WP Engine (and others) disagree with. Consequently, he’s asking WP Engine to share 8% of its income (or the equal of income by way of engineering hours engaged on the core).
“It’s not simply concerning the cash. It’s actually about like … in case you’re gonna revenue off the WordPress trademark, it’s worthwhile to be a part of the WordPress ecosystem,” Mullenweg stated at Disrupt.
This isn’t the primary time Mullenweg has prompt a fork might be an answer to the continued debate round the way forward for WordPress. Earlier in October, he posted on X that he would “welcome extra forks.”
