A conflict between WordPress and hosting provider WP Engine has escalated into a ban. That may affect those who are customers of WP Engine.
With a blog post, WordPress CEO Matt Mullenberg slams WP Engine. The conflict between the two parties has been dragging on for some time. Mullenberg recently called WP Engine a “cancer” for not wanting to contribute to the development of the WordPress CMS, to which the hosting provider threatened legal action. “WP Engine is not WordPress,” the blog concludes.
Subject of the conflict is what the world often revolves around: money. Automattic, the company that oversees WordPress, thinks WP Engine should pay licensing fees for using WordPress. Because WP Engine refuses to pay, it is now denied access to WordPress resources for automatic updates, among other things.
Big implications
That decision could have major implications for businesses using WordPress through WP Engine. WP Engine claims to host more than 200,000 WordPress websites. The company calls itself the “number one platform for WordPress. You can see the irony in that for yourself.
Websites hosted by WP Engine risk becoming more susceptible to vulnerabilities. WP Engine is no longer receiving automatic updates through WordPress. As a result, WP Engine’s customers risk being left with unupdated plug-ins, one of the most common vulnerabilities in WordPress. The hosting provider will now have to go on its own to help ensure customer security.
As a result, WordPress’ decision is provoking mixed reactions. In Reddit’ s WordPress thread, the dispute is the topic at the virtual coffee table, and people are not siding with Mullenberg and WordPress. Many feel that WordPress has gone too far by leaving thousands of websites vulnerable. Mullenberg has even been called a “benevolent dictator.
WordPress seems to be giving in to the pressure and is temporarily lifting the ban again until Oct. 1. That should give WP Engione customers time to roll out the necessary updates. However, the hatchet is far from being buried.
This article originally appeared on Sept. 26. It has been updated with the latest information.