Automattic Launches ‘WP Engine Tracker’ to Monitor Sites Leaving WP Engine, Sparking Controversy – WP Tavern

The continued WordPress-WP Engine dispute has escalated with Automattic launching a brand new web site – WP Engine Tracker, to trace the variety of web sites leaving WP Engine internet hosting.

“An Automattic thingamajig,” this web site tracks WP Engine internet hosting migrations from September 21, 2024, and likewise supplies a downloadable CSV listing of internet sites at present hosted on WP Engine, dubbed “websites prepared for a brand new dwelling.”

Different particulars on this single-page web site embrace hyperlinks to promotions supplied by different internet hosting suppliers for migrating from WP Engine and the variety of web sites every internet hosting supplier gained through migration. Pressable is the highest gainer, adopted by Bluehost and SiteGround. 

Satirically, the location’s URL is wordpressenginetracker.com as the entire WordPress-WP Engine dispute began with Matt accusing the internet hosting firm of misusing the WordPress trademark. Additionally Automattic had opposed WP Engine’s lawsuit claiming their allegations regarding lost customers needs to be seen with skepticism. 

Search Engine Journal reported that the web site was blocked by Cloudflare for “suspected phishing,” however it’s now up. It also reported about somebody registering the area title WPEngineTracker.com.

Eric Karkovack of The WP Minute tweeted, “Form of like Ford monitoring everybody who switched from Chevy. Doesn’t matter to me, I’m a Honda man.” WordPress developer Brian Coords shared this: “This has good design/dev, however it’s unhappy to see expertise and sources poured into elevated negativity locally, criticism with out substance, tearing down as an alternative of increase. Simply unhappy that’s what WordPress is changing into an emblem for.”

Safety researcher Daniel Ruf dubbed it “amateurish”. He continued, “I’m undecided what the purpose of this web site is and what Matt tries to attain. However the neighborhood is getting more and more irritated of such unprofessional conduct of Matt and within the safety neighborhood some additionally take into consideration dropping 0days for WordPress and associated plugins/themes on account of this complete scenario. The suggestions beneath the tweet from the official WordPress account and within the reddit neighborhood reveals, what most of us suppose. The entire scenario hurts everybody greater than wanted.”

One other individual commented, “So Automattic has put collectively a listing for spammers and hackers to make use of to focus on a bunch of websites who’re now not doing enterprise with Matt Mullenweg’s nemesis. That’s… shortsighted. It will absolutely end in authorized motion from a number of of those websites?” 

As of November 12, 18,280 web sites have left WP Engine in line with this web site.