WordPress.org Users now have to confirm that they want pineapple on their pizza before logging in. This is the latest move in an increasingly hostile dispute between WordPress co-founder and Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg and web hosting service WP Engine.
As reported by 404 Media Verified by Mashable, WordPress.org‘s login page A new checkbox has been added next to the statement “Pineapple is good on pizza.” Users are currently unable to log in or create new accounts unless they check the box first discovered on Sunday. (WordPress.com It remains unaffected.)
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The fact that pineapple is on pizza has been the topic of casual Internet discussion for a long time. But this particular call is less pleasant. WordPress.orgThe pineapple pizza command is California District Court ruled TuesdayThis is a preliminary injunction preventing Automattic from blocking WP Engine’s access. WordPress.org.
The injunction also ordered Automattic to remove the checkbox. WordPress.org‘s login page required users to pledge that they were “not affiliated with WP Engine in any way, financially or otherwise.” If you do not check this box, users will not be able to log in.
However, rather than removing the box entirely, Automattic appears to have modified it to display pineapple on the pizza instead.
Credit: Mashable Screenshot: WordPress.org
What is WordPress Drama?
Ongoing WordPress Drama It mainly concerns allegations of trademark infringement. WP Engine and Automattic have been feuding for months.
1. Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg’s blog post disparages WP Engine.
The dispute began publicly, with Mullenweg blaming WP Engine. “Cancer to WordPress” From a September 21 blog post. WP Engine is a third-party web hosting service that specifically provides websites built using WordPress’s open source content management system. WordPress.org.
Mullenweg has since been heavily critical of WP Engine, accusing the company of disabling tracked changes, using brands known to infringe on WordPress’ trademarks, and contributing little to open source software development.
“[WP Engine] WordPress generates approximately $500 million in revenue. Contribute 40 hours a weekAutomattic is of similar size and Contributing 3,915 hours per week“, Mullenweg claimed in his post.
2. WP Engine sends a cease-and-desist letter to Automattic.
Of course, WP Engine wasn’t happy about this. The company responded as follows: ceasefire letter On September 23, it called on Automattic and Mullenweg to stop making “false statements of fact.”
WP Engine also accused Mullenweg of threatening to take a “scorched earth nuclear approach” towards the company if it refused to pay Automattic for its trademark license for WordPress. court documents Automattic demanded a monthly payment of 8% of WP Engine profits.
According to WP Engine, using WordPress’s trademarks to describe its services is permitted fair use, so no such license is required.
“It is disgraceful that WP Engine publicly poses as a selfless protector of the WordPress community while simultaneously secretly demanding that Mr. Mullenweg hand over tens of millions of dollars to his for-profit company, Automattic,” read WP Engine’s letter.
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“WP Engine’s use of those trademarks to describe its services – as do all companies in this space – is fair use under established trademark laws and consistent with WordPress’s own guidelines.”
3. Automattic sends WP Engine a cease-and-desist letter and gets banned from WordPress.
Automattic responded as follows: his truce letter Additionally, on September 23, they demanded that WP Engine “immediately stop all unauthorized use.” [WordPress and WordPress-based ecommerce platform WooCommerce] brand.”
While Automattic acknowledged that it contacted WP Engine about licensing the trademark, it said no agreement was reached and accused the company of misleading consumers into thinking it was related to WordPress.
The WordPress Foundation’s trademark policy was also revised, specifically mentioning WP Engine and asking that “WP” not be used “in a way that is likely to confuse people,” although “WP” is not protected as a trademark.
“For example, many people think that WP Engine is the ‘WordPress Engine’ and is officially associated with WordPress, but that’s not the case.” The policy is as follows. “Despite making billions of dollars in revenue from WordPress, they have never donated to the WordPress Foundation.”
Mullenweg subsequently announced that WP Engine had been banned. WordPress.org September 25thIt compromises numerous websites and prevents updates from being implemented. Meanwhile Temporarily lifted after two daysThe ban significantly hampered WP Engine’s ability to conduct business.
“[P]Termination of Legal Claims and Litigation WordPress.orgWP Engine is no longer accessible for free. WordPress.org’s resources,” Mullenweg wrote in the announcement.
further expand his territory personal blogMullenweg said Automattic’s demand that WP Engine pay up “isn’t about stealing money. It’s an expectation that all companies that make hundreds of millions of dollars from open source projects must give back, or they can’t use the trademark.”
4. WP Engine files lawsuit against Automattic
It was all downhill from there. October 2nd, WP Engine Lawsuit filed against Automattic and Mullenweg He was indicted on numerous charges, including defamation, slander, attempted extortion, and unfair competition.
WP Engine also modified its plan names to remove the word “WordPress” and updated its website to make it clear that it is “not endorsed, owned by, or affiliated with” the WordPress Foundation or WooCommerce.
“Automattic’s suggestion that WPE needs a license to do this is simply incorrect and reflects a misunderstanding of trademark law.” a WP Engine spokesperson told TechCrunch. “To address the concerns raised, we have removed some of the examples set out by Automattic in their letter to us on September 23.”
In response to ongoing legal litigationAutomattic claims that “WP Engine has never lost the ability to access your website’s WordPress code and plugins.”
“WP Engine is asking the court to force Matt and Automattic to allow WP Engine to host and distribute the plugin. WordPress.org “You can provide your website for free as long as there are no obligations,” Automattic said.
What does pineapple pizza have to do with the WordPress lawsuit?
All of this keeps us coming back. WordPress.orgPineapple Pizza Pledge.
In early October, Mullenweg revised the regulations. WordPress.org Add a required checkbox to the login page promising that the user has nothing to do with WP Engine. In a Slack post at the time, Mullenweg said the checkbox was part of the WP Engine ban.
Following a court injunction last Tuesday, the box now demands allegiance to pineapple on its pizza agenda instead.
It’s unclear how this culinary controversy relates to the larger legal issues at hand. Automattic hasn’t made any public statement on the matter, while Mullenweg has only shared. X’s post highlighting the changes.
It’s likely that Mullenweg simply took the opportunity to crack a joke, regardless of the more serious circumstances surrounding him. Even without bigger fish to fry, it seems impossible for Automattic to follow up on users’ pizza preferences.
