WTF Is Going On With WordPress? WCUS24 & The Future of WP

In this video, I share my thoughts on the recent controversy surrounding Matt Mullenweg's closing statements at WordCamp US 2024, where he criticized WP Engine for not contributing enough to WordPress core.
I dive into the broader implications of this issue, discussing the "Five for the Future" initiative, the role of companies like WP Engine, and the overall direction of WordPress.
I also explore the ongoing debate about whether WordPress is still primarily a blogging platform or a full-fledged CMS, and why certain features are still missing from Core.
Join me as I unpack these topics and share my perspective on the future of WordPress.
Links to the original video and other references mentioned are in the description below.
WCUS: • WCUS 2024 - An In-Pers...
- WEPengine is Not WordPress: wordpress.org/...
- The WCUS Closing I Wish We’d Had: www.briancoord...
- Reddit: / lokzvec
- Cease & Desist: wpengine.com/w...
Uniting KZbinrs: • Uniting WordPress YouT...
#WordPress #WCEU #MattMullenweg #WPDrama #FiveForTheFuture #WPTuts
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[@michaelfoerster3364]

What I dont understand, on the one hand we critize that the WP core dev is not fast enough, and on the other hand, we critize if not enough partizipation in development done by big companies. Who should do the dev work?

[@modemlooper]

He seems mad that people aren’t contributing to his Gutenmess. Maybe if he didn’t ignore the entire community and insisted on creating a new editor product for Automattic instead of focusing on the needs of the open source project he wouldn’t be in this position.

[@johnpixle]

Great points Paul! It is so sad that such an enormous amount of energy is directed towards legal fights and the whole drama, instead of lifting up the community and improving the WordPress platform in a meaningful way. Thanks for sharing!

[@lanamiro8443]

couldn't agree more

[@alxbengosu]

Matt has steered the Wordpress ship into a crappy direction ( Gutenturd ) and now is salty nobody wants to commit developer hours to it.

[@WPTuts]

A very valid observation and one I’ve made myself. Why would you commit resources to a direction you have no interest in? Not a very compelling reason. 😉

[@Nomad_Skateboarding]

There were less contributions and contributors pre- Gutenberg ​@@WPTuts

[@mattsheekstri]

100

[@muhammedadammk7607]

Since Gutenberg, i feel like they are wasting their time.

[@WPTuts]

And ours ;)

[@ashhyborg]

As a blogger, since I got Gutenberg, I don't need to buy page builder subscriptions or pay web designers. It must be causing huge loss for y'all.

[@WPTuts]

@@ashhyborgas a blogger, was there any reason you would have had to prior to Gutenturd? 🤷🏼‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@hamburger--fries]

Wordpress core needs to become more modular. I want to see Wordpress go in the Laravel direction - think Statamic + Laravel ecosystem. I would like to see a more diverse ecosystem, especially around Headless.

[@kieronwiltshire1701]

or to ditch the php ecosystem altogether since it sucks.

[@hamburger--fries]

@@kieronwiltshire1701 It would need to be re-coded to ditch PHP. I think being able to write plugins in ReactJS would be nice.

[@kieronwiltshire1701]

@@hamburger--fries yeah I know

[@faranume1147]

If you suck with it, it is your problem ​@@kieronwiltshire1701

[@mhavock]

start writing a new one ... use rust. we are waiting..

[@DavidLabbe]

If I was WP Engine I would be thrilled that I am getting free advertising. They must be doing something right to get Matts attention.

[@StretchFletcher]

Some really good points. Why would they ignore a large part of their users? I think the majority of users would agree to more core functionality being added to produce a better product.

[@RR-ok4wz]

Let's be honest, it's a bitch move by Matt ... and you (as well as others like you) have made a HUGE contribution to WordPress. I don't know where my knowledge and skillset re: WP would be without content and tutorial creators such as you. So a HUGE "Thank You" for what you do. Please don't ever stop!

[@WPAcademyPK]

Well, I honestly believe WordPress foundation needs a new administration and Matt should step down. Automatic has abused WordPress and it’s ecosystem more than anyone.

[@JanusJanavas]

Abused? What are you talking about? Without Automattic's contributions, there would be no possibility of releasing new WP versions.

[@arcfires]

@@JanusJanavas I think a lot of people would argue most of the recent core updates are pushing it in a direction we don't like, and that they're neglecting some major issues they should care more about.

[@designerashleyw]

@@arcfireslike what? Genuinely curious. Is it just people not liking the block editor and themes, or is there more?

[@arcfires]

@@designerashleyw Paul's made several videos about this recently. Outdated UX/UI throughout the whole WP experience. Gutenberg is a clumsy attempt to push into the page builder space and most developers simply hate it. Some say Gutenberg also takes extra clicks to accomplish basic tasks. Two clicks to publish a page instead of one, for example.

[@iamalifawad]

​@@designerashleyw We as any type of WordPress Users don't need and want Gutenberg! We have to compete with Framer and Webflow? Is that Possible with Current WordPress? Especially the "FSE" and "Block Editor" stuff!

[@CMSAssociation]

Matt is Joomla-ing Wordpress.

[@alexandergilmanov110]

I’m fully with you Paul. I’ve expressed support to WPEngine as it is just a wrong way to resolve any disagreements.

[@WebCoder007]

its time for hardfork

[@wptonic]

Paul has excellent and Fair points.

[@mhavock]

whos Paul? i am guessing its the guy in the video? how dare you not address him as Sir WPtuts!

[@quantum_leap]

I agree 100%. Even though, I hate WP Engine hosting and their practices, that was very selective judgement from Matt. The lawsuit was an obvious next step.

[@mhavock]

nah, WPengine been profiting(200milUSD/year) and trying to lock down the trademark so they use it to take over the brand and profit more.

[@WPMinute]

Fair coverage, Paul. My only guess is that something was brewing with WPE internally that MM was privy to. Perhaps exploring an IPO beating Automattic to the market? Not sure. While I agree on the principle of his message -- getting big hosts/money to give back -- the delivery was over the top and caused even more stress throughout the community.

[@WPTuts]

I agree - if there was a bigger picture (which I'm 99% sure this was/is) he could have been way more professional in how it was handled and let it out of WCUS. Not only did it tarnish the event, it also caused a lot of stress and bad feeling in the WP community at large.

[@thomassaunders225]

@@WPTuts To be honest, his beef was almost exclusively with Silver Lake and their CEO and not really WPEngine. I thought Matt also explained that Lee (the CEO) had destroyed another open source project that they had exploited. I think that many people upset that WordPress is not doing what they want missed the nuance of the speech. Sure, he maybe should have done this differently, but let us address the entire rant not just part of it.

[@karolryan]

Just wondering if its possible to build a custom wordpress version with the likes of OpenAI o1 where all the frustrating elements are eliminated or replaced? :)

[@Atractiondj]

not!

[@thomassaunders225]

That has been tried already. ClassicPress is available, but has very little market share.

[@rightpadding]

I think this is what Etch is building.

[@kevinroberts3789]

Excellent points. Appreciate you making them.

[@WPTuts]

I appreciate that!

[@Simon-sly]

Thanks Paul. I have to agree with your points. It feels like Wordpress is a little lost currently.

[@KaiBuskirk]

The Church of Matt… must donate..um?

[@Elsteck]

Funnily the Director of Marketing from Automattic calls it a CMS in his interview with Mark Szymanski

[@WPTuts]

More fuel to add to the confusion fire!

[@llampp]

I don't know who moderates the coment section here, but something weird is going on with my (ordinary) comment being deleted for the 3rd time.

[@WPTuts]

That would be KZbin. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@polarxta2833]

Mine was deleted as well. Must be KZbin.. lol

[@KaiBuskirk]

Thanks for the Update! Great thoughts!

[@thewebstylist]

Oh boy, the last title The WordPress Ninja here wants to see… 😢🙏🏻💻🌎

[@dracula5752]

wordpress is mess that why one wants to contribute, no composer, no vite.

[@honeypeadigital]

I hope this doesn't make them change their mind in it being open source. I'm only a year into this. It would be a shame for it to be a subscription per install or something.

[@EpicLib]

Blasphemy right there!!!

[@andreasmou6539]

Really, all other devs are making jokes about wordpress and us wordpress developers... Instead of working WP to be the best tool arround we see those things ....

[@websitelaunchcourse4061]

It was bound to happen eventually. You put something out there "for all" and they hustle it hard on their own. Now you want them to stop being corporate. It's Not Happening.

Who is WordPress for? - Bloggers, by their own philosophy haha. Poets ftw.

[@clarkmakes]

CPTs and metadata features not part of core is intentional, not to snub power users and developers, or ignore them, but to preserve the long time commitment and businesses of efforts like ACF, Toolset, etc. Building those features 8nto core would torpedo ACF, etc.

[@WPTuts]

It didn’t stop them building Gutenturd and FSE which directly competes with builders. Admittedly it does a bad job, but the intention is there. Plus, WP has custom fields and has had for years. Again, it’s a very poor implementation, but it’s there.

[@clarkmakes]

@@WPTuts Indeed. I'm not a fan of the ill-considered approaches, inconsistently applied, and the "open source can just be messy sometimes" argument. Your voice here in this way, distinct from your walktroughs, and demos, and tutes is appreciated. The WP UX has *always* been clunky and in recent years has gone completely off the rails. The *functionality* of page builders and site themers may have been the goal, but the most compelling thing about Elementor, Beaver, and Bricks is the flow afforded by consistent refinent of the UX. Completely lost in the native experience.

[@darkpearl88]

I don't agree with the people who are bashing Matt. He used his massive platform to address an actual problem. It was necessary. It wasn't the rant of some unhinged CEO. He knows exactly what he's talking about regarding open source and private equity. Yeah, you might like WP engine as a service, but sometimes you need to look past the pretty flowers and see the weeds in the garden.

[@WPTuts]

For clarity and as I mentioned in the video, apart from ACF, I have never used WPEngine for hosting or any of their other services - so, there is no 'liking WPEngine' on my part. I'm completely agnostic to them.

[@grizfan93]

But what is the actual problem, and why only single out one entity when so many other companies are basically doing the same? I think this "bashing" is very much warranted.

[@DpadFinder]

I agree with you about Matt having a very valid point. I think singling out WPEngine the way he did was unprofessional and irresponsible though.

[@polarxta2833]

@@DpadFinder You have to nip something in the bud in the biggest possible way to stop repeats. WPengine were fine until bought by the VC. Then it all went wrong.

[@tentwelvedesign]

Do we know if WP engine is women own now?

[@darkpearl88]

lol its not at all women-owned. it's basically funded by private equity -- Silver Lake.

[@tentwelvedesign]

@@darkpearl88 Thanks a bunch. I was talking with my boss amount this.

[@huntercoxpersonal]

😂

[@jacek537]

leave the drama and bloat behind and switch to classicpress :)

[@raptorcreate]

not really lol All this drama is boring AF and i have a life. A life making money.

[@jaxxedbytes]

WP only still around because all of the ecosystem. Without that it's just old laggy p of programming s :) Including most of the "latest" additions to it. Every time you develop using modern tools, you feel like with WP you travel to early 2010's ;)

[@ltimbah]

That's the issue, though? When I got involved with the WP community events, I don't see much involvement from WPE compared to other commercial WP agencies and hosting providers like GoDaddy, Elementor, etc. Of course, I don't have the actual numbers and how much they contribute to the core, only my rough view.

[@WPTuts]

@@ltimbahboth of which have been singled out by Matt in previous years. Maybe it’s time he was more professional or gave more compelling reasons to contribute to core. The simple fact is, his vision for WordPress (FSE & Gutenberg) are not everyone’s vision. So, expecting companies to invest time and resources into a direction they have zero interest in isn’t exactly a compelling reason to be involved.

[@alexitanguay]

WP Engine is a rigid, private-equity backed company. Anyone siding with them would be against the people

[@huntercoxpersonal]

WPE didn’t choose Gutenberg, which is what the people have repeatedly said they didn’t want.

[@alvarogois]

The video is so on point for me. Thank you. Exactly how I would describe what I feel about all of this.

[@WibowoSulistio]

Some perspectives / clarifications from Matt today: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fmepYYOdgsh-ja8 (Friday, Sept 27)

[@DepozituldeMagazine]

They use 'WP' in their name. That is different from other big companies. They sell as more like official WordPress. They use WordPress to make their business, not just as a hosting company. It is different. They are big and just use it. They dont give back. So WordPress should get its budget from where?

[@SRG-Learn-Code]

This video has signifacly more views and definitely more comments than that keynote (mine are the first). Are they removing comment?

[@chrisalton1]

Mullenweg's career and contributions are impressive but if you listen to his interviews, he's not a very interesting or impressive person himself. His ideas are lame, generic, and stale.

[@SJQuirke]

Thanks for this This is useful background

[@visualmodo]

Very good video!

[@karolryan]

I just read that WordPress Files to Trademark ‘Managed WordPress’ & ‘Hosted WordPress’

[@WPTuts]

Yes, in July of 2024. More information is in my latest video, including links to the information on the trademark filings. ;)

[@CeanHerzfield]

Wouldn't touch WPEngine with a 10 foot barge pole.

[@bordzee]

So, for those who hosted in WP Engine cant use wordpress? or will their sites be broken or something?

[@polarxta2833]

They cant access plugins from within WP, and cannot download updates automatically. WP has blocked them.

[@bordzee]

@@polarxta2833 lets say they have builders, and other plugins installed they cant update it?

[@WPTuts]

@@bordzeethey can be updated but would need to be done manually by downloading the files and uploading in the WP Admin. They won’t be able to simply click update like you’re used to for repo plugins and themes.