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Matt Mullenweg deactivates WordPress accounts of contributors planning a fork

(techcrunch.com)
465 points impish9208 | 3 comments | 11 Jan 25 18:14 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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rmccue ◴[11 Jan 25 23:44 UTC] No.42669910[source]▶
This isn’t unexpected; I’ve been deactivated on Slack since very early in this dispute, and later banned from the issue tracker as well. I’ve been contributing for 20 years to the project, am a committer, and built several large parts of WordPress including the REST API.

Matt is banning anyone who speaks out at all, even when they agree with points he’s made. A large group of contributors felt they had to make an anonymous statement from fear of the same retribution I suffered: https://www.therepository.email/core-contributors-voice-conc...

(I am a less active direct contributor these days, so I’m still able to contribute even while blocked - but many people’s livelihoods depend on it, as sponsored contributors.)

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wyclif ◴[12 Jan 25 01:19 UTC] No.42670355[source]▶
I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that Matt Mullenweg is in desperate need of an intervention. Seriously, the man should seek professional help.
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1. robocat ◴[12 Jan 25 04:42 UTC] No.42671328[source]▶
Presuming he has a problem. What makes your think you think he would welcome intervention, or seek professional help, or respond to help?

He's clearly ignoring blunt feedback, and I've yet to see anything that suggests he thinks he's doing anything wrong.

Our society has been validating his behaviour with his half-billion dollar business: clearly some of his behaviour has value. Our society seems to reward and encourage similar behaviours in other founders (especially in current zeitgeist).

Sadly in my experience we don't have many options to help, and sometimes all we can do is watch someone burn themselves and those around them down.

He's losing his game and I can't see Automattic surviving the reshuffle that's coming. Business clients hate this shit and they have agency. Matt has been giving employees non-voting shares (a different class): https://ma.tt/2024/10/owner-mentality/ although he owns 84% of the normal shares (although details of control depend on agreement with investors).

The saddest thing is that I'd guess he will toxically blame Jason Cohen. I'm sure Jason can deal with it (surely dealt with in past) and Jason seems smart enough to take strong advantage of the opportunity he's been gifted by Matt.

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2. disgruntledphd2 ◴[12 Jan 25 11:19 UTC] No.42672769[source]▶
Is Jason still at WPEngine?
3. mthoms ◴[13 Jan 25 00:36 UTC] No.42678653[source]▶
FWIW, Matt has never claimed to own 84%. He's only ever claimed to "control" that percentage. Presumably, some investors have assigned him their voting rights by proxy. Oops.