Automattic Publishes WP Engine Term Sheet Amidst Controversy – WP Tavern
Because the Automattic-WP Engine controversy continues, Automattic revealed the time period sheet delivered to WP Engine on September 20, 2024. “Within the curiosity of transparency, we’ve revealed the time period sheet we provided to @LeeEWittlinger and @heatherjbrunner, it’s a easy one-pager.”, tweeted Matt Mullenweg.
The announcement post reveals that preliminary discussions between Automattic and WP Engine started in February 2023, led by Matt Mullenweg and continued by Toni Schneider throughout Mullenweg’s sabbatical.
The term sheet outlines 5 key factors concerning a trademark license settlement. Below the phrases, Automattic would grant WP Engine the rights to make use of WordPress and WooCommerce logos and branding, with WP Engine agreeing to comply with all related pointers. WP Engine was introduced with three choices for compensation:
- Pay Automattic a royalty price of 8% of its gross income on a month-to-month foundation, together with an in depth report of its gross income, granting Automattic full audit rights.
- Allocate 8% of its income to worker salaries for work on core WordPress options beneath the route of WordPress.org, with each WordPress.org and Automattic retaining audit rights.
- Mixture of the above two choices.
The time period sheet additionally prevents WP Engine from modifying or forking any software program from Automattic, WooCommerce, or its associates. The settlement is for seven years with computerized one-year renewals.
Nonetheless, the announcement put up has a important replace: “Given WP Engine’s conduct, deception, and incompetence since September twentieth these phrases are not adequate.”
Matt additionally advised The Repository, “That deal’s not on the desk anymore. We’re in search of extra, not 8%. I don’t wish to speculate on what the deal is likely to be… In July it was lower than 8%, it was smaller. In September it was 8%. The deal they must do subsequent might be taking up the corporate, they don’t have any leverage.”
Public reactions to Mullenweg’s tweet sharing the time period sheet have been combined, with most replies important of him, although some view the phrases as affordable.
The ultimate outcomes of a survey by Matt from The WP Minute:
In the course of the ongoing discussions, co-founder & CEO of Cloudflare Matthew Prince offered to donate the capability to energy WordPress.org for the neighborhood.
In the meantime, the controversy appears to be spilling into Automattic, too.
