Inside: Developer fights back, Post Status becomes non-profit and slash price, and WordPress scholarship for community members
Hey WordPress friends,
There were lots of things that happened after the last email in the WordPress community. In this newsletter, we are covering why a developer is joining the legal battle against Matt Mullenweg, Why post status is becoming a non-profit, and an update from Gutenberg & on the latest WordCamp scholarship. We also feature some WordPress tips and tutorials you might want to check out.
Let’s dive in —
Community in Turmoil: Developer Seeks Intervention in WordPress Lawsuit
The conflict has escalated beyond Automattic and WP Engine. Michael Willman, a web developer, has filed a motion to intervene in the legal battle, claiming significant personal and professional harm.
Willman’s 58-page declaration details devastating consequences, including:
– Cancellation of a $14,500 website development contract
– Loss of an ongoing eCommerce partnership
– Forced relocation of his family into a travel trailer
He’s proposing the creation of a WordPress Governance Oversight Board to protect the community’s interests during this turbulent period. Read more on this from “The Repository”.
Related Story You might find interesting: Matt Mullenweg: WordPress developer hours cutback may or may not slow innovation
Full Recap: Automattic VS WP Engine
In case you miss everything about the WP drama, check out this no-nonsense video from David Risley, founder of Blog Marketing Academy.
He covers:
Is this the end of WordPress?
Is the answer to fork WordPress?
Is Matt just… the “bad guy”?
What do I think will ultimately happen with all this?
What needs to happen?
Are people making too big a deal out of it?
Watch: Is This The End Of WordPress? My Thoughts on the Matt Mullenweg / WP Engine Affair.
And this just happened—-
This tweet got a strong reaction from the Reddit WP community.
In case you want the full picture, here’s a full timeline of Mullenweg VS WP Engine.
Post Status Transforms: A New Non-Profit Chapter Begins
Joost de Valk and his wife Marieke are acquiring Post Status from Cory and Lindsey Miller, transforming it from a for-profit LLC to a non-profit foundation in the Netherlands. Key highlights include:
– Creating a board with Juliette Reinders Folmer and Karim Marucchi
– Plans to reduce membership prices
– Leveraging Slack’s 85% non-profit discount
– Retaining Michelle Frechette as Executive Director
– Maintaining a community space for open WordPress discussions
– Preserving the platform’s legacy of free-flowing conversations
The move aims to enshrine community freedoms while ensuring Post Status remains a neutral, safe space for WordPress professionals to share ideas, business insights, and community perspectives. Read his detailed blog announcement.
Bright Spot: WordCamp Asia 2025 Scholarships Highlight Community Resilience
Amidst the legal drama, the WordPress community continues to nurture new talent. WordCamp Asia 2025 has announced Kim Parsell scholarship recipients & Diversity Scholarship recipients who embody the spirit of innovation and contribution.
Standout scholars include:
– Zeel Thakkar: A freelance WordPress developer who has contributed to WordPress 6.7’s Testing Team
– Pooja Derashri: A Global Translation Editor for Hindi
– Makarank G. Mane: Lead organizer of WordCamp Kolhapur
– Astha Jain: A lawyer-turned-WordPress contributor bridging technology and legal expertise
Read the official announcement blog for details.
Gutenberg Milestone: 200 Releases and Counting
In a testament to the platform’s ongoing evolution, the Gutenberg plugin marked its 200th release. Highlights include:
– Improved Style Book with new navigation
– Redesigned starter patterns UI
– Enhanced multisite support for developers
– New block hooks allowing more flexible content manipulation
Read the full changelog and announcement details here.
WordPress Tips and Tutorials
I Found a FREE Way to Export WordPress Posts to Google Sheets Automatically (WP Workshop)
How & Why You Should Remove Unused WordPress Plugins (Patchstack.com)
Just read:
The WordPress Android App is a Failure (Amber Hinds)
The magic of the commons (Seth Godin)
Automattic Cuts Weekly Contributor Hours to WordPress.org by 99% – Community Members Fear ‘Beginning of the End’ (WP Shout)
The WordPress ecosystem stands at a critical crossroads. Legal battles, development hour cuts, and community reshuffling suggest significant changes are coming. Whether this is a temporary storm or a fundamental shift remains to be seen.
Stay informed, stay engaged, and keep building.
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