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From the WordPress Trademark Policy (https://wordpressfoundation.org/trademark-policy/ https://wordpressfoundation.org/trademark-policy/) The abbreviation “WP”

From the WordPress Trademark Policy (https://wordpressfoundation.org/trademark-policy/ https://wordpressfoundation.org/trademark-policy/) The abbreviation “WP” is not covered by the WordPress trademarks, but please don’t use it in a way that confuses people. For example, many people think WP Engine is “WordPress Engine” and officially associated with WordPress, which it’s not. They have never once even donated to the WordPress Foundation, despite making billions of revenue on top of WordPress. Someone should have stopped him from making the rambling statements he's made. If it's a trademark dispute, limit the the public statements to the trademark issue. Don't muddy the waters with demands for revenue share or upstream code contributions.

luckylion 2y ago
Again, it wasn't about "WP", it was about "WordPress" (and "WooCommerce"). Don't focus on "WP" just because the company name is "WP Engine". It's not relevant to this matter, their claim of trademark infringement is about "WordPress" and "WooCommerce", not about "WP".
- miiiiiike 2y ago
  Unfortunately many of their public statements have focused on the "WP" in "WP Engine". See my above comment. Their messaging around this has been messy and rambling. The drowning out any point they're trying to make with their own messaging. Who can say the offer "WordPress" hosting? How much do they have to pay? That question was dodged several times in the interviews I've listened to. If it's a trademark issue, make the claims and let the courts figure it out. Stay focused or stop talking.
  - Brian_K_White 2y ago
    Regardless what they want, they have very limited rights to anything over that. Nike can say that you can't name you new sneakers Nike. Can probably say that you can't name your business "The Nike Store" even if all you stock is Nikes, but can not cannot say that you cannot refer to Nike by their actual name to state that you sell Nike sneakers. WordPress is the name of the software that they provide services about. There is no way to control who can simply state that fact.
Brian_K_White 2y ago
"For example, many people think WP Engine is “WordPress Engine”" Remember he only just now updated that policy to say that, and tried to make it retroactive. https://joshcollinsworth.com/blog/fire-matt https://joshcollinsworth.com/blog/fire-matt Scroll down or search to "But Matt wasn’t done."
- Brian_K_White 2y ago
  Oh look, it's not the first time they accused people of violating terms that did not exist, and then updated the terms after the fact. And in this case the sites were doing nothing wrong even by the updated terms anyway. https://adland.tv/wordpress-shuts-down-several-feminist-blogs-without-warning https://adland.tv/wordpress-shuts-down-several-feminist-blog... 2018 is a long time ago, and an honest mistake false positive once in a while is no crime, but I still don't see any excuse for the lack of integrity to do something like modify terms after the fact and yet still try to apply them retroactively. That's not an accident or a mistake. It is dishonest, deliberate, and part of a consistent pattern with today.

luckylion 2y ago

Again, it wasn't about "WP", it was about "WordPress" (and "WooCommerce"). Don't focus on "WP" just because the company name is "WP Engine". It's not relevant to this matter, their claim of trademark infringement is about "WordPress" and "WooCommerce", not about "WP".

miiiiiike 2y ago
Unfortunately many of their public statements have focused on the "WP" in "WP Engine". See my above comment. Their messaging around this has been messy and rambling. The drowning out any point they're trying to make with their own messaging. Who can say the offer "WordPress" hosting? How much do they have to pay? That question was dodged several times in the interviews I've listened to. If it's a trademark issue, make the claims and let the courts figure it out. Stay focused or stop talking.
- Brian_K_White 2y ago
  Regardless what they want, they have very limited rights to anything over that. Nike can say that you can't name you new sneakers Nike. Can probably say that you can't name your business "The Nike Store" even if all you stock is Nikes, but can not cannot say that you cannot refer to Nike by their actual name to state that you sell Nike sneakers. WordPress is the name of the software that they provide services about. There is no way to control who can simply state that fact.

Brian_K_White 2y ago

"For example, many people think WP Engine is “WordPress Engine”" Remember he only just now updated that policy to say that, and tried to make it retroactive. https://joshcollinsworth.com/blog/fire-matt https://joshcollinsworth.com/blog/fire-matt Scroll down or search to "But Matt wasn’t done."

Brian_K_White 2y ago
Oh look, it's not the first time they accused people of violating terms that did not exist, and then updated the terms after the fact. And in this case the sites were doing nothing wrong even by the updated terms anyway. https://adland.tv/wordpress-shuts-down-several-feminist-blogs-without-warning https://adland.tv/wordpress-shuts-down-several-feminist-blog... 2018 is a long time ago, and an honest mistake false positive once in a while is no crime, but I still don't see any excuse for the lack of integrity to do something like modify terms after the fact and yet still try to apply them retroactively. That's not an accident or a mistake. It is dishonest, deliberate, and part of a consistent pattern with today.