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> it feels a bit like a shake-down It is a shake down. And the problem with negotiating with people like this is that it never stops. There will never be enou

> it feels a bit like a shake-down It is a shake down. And the problem with negotiating with people like this is that it never stops. There will never be enough contributions and money.

Terretta 2y ago
> the problem ... with people like this is that it never stops. By contrast, this doesn't make WPE look good: WP Engine had been siphoning “tens of millions” of dollars away from Woo’s revenue share partnership with Stripe into its own coffers. It’s understood WP Engine has been swapping out WooCommerce’s Stripe Connect Account information for its own when a user installs WooCommerce. That's the sort of thing that, if a proven problem, could seem less like a shakedown and more like active wire fraud. EDIT: As replies note, GPL. OK, but I realize I grew up thinking if someone gives me software it isn't to rip out their revenue model and replace it with mine, it is for me to do my own value added thing with it. Meaning, the stealth edit might not be wrong, but still seems uncool.
- djbusby 2y ago
  Or at least misleading the consumer - which is also not cool.
- threeseed 2y ago
  That is completely legal and ethical. WooCommerce is an open source, GPL project which allows people to modify the code in any way, including changing Stripe details, provided that they comply with the terms of the license. Licenses are a fundamental part of open source precisely so that in situations like this everyone knows the rules of the game.
- kemayo 2y ago
  It might be sketchy, but WooCommerce is a GPL project: https://github.com/woocommerce/woocommerce/blob/trunk/plugins/woocommerce/license.txt https://github.com/woocommerce/woocommerce/blob/trunk/plugin... This is explicitly the sort of thing that WP Engine would be allowed to do, and if Automattic isn't happy about this then perhaps they should have chosen non-free licenses. Basically: "wire fraud" is an extremely overblown claim. Nothing criminal is happening here, because they're complying with the license. Is it ethical? Debatable.
- chuckadams 2y ago
  WPE does not touch WooCommerce in any way. WooCommerce is a plugin that is itself extended through more plugins, including ones for working with payment providers such as Stripe. WPE makes a Stripe payment plugin that works with multiple eCommerce setups, including WooCommerce. WPE's plugin naturally uses WPE's affiliate code. Matt cannot stand competition, that's all.
  - Terretta 2y ago
    Thanks — this makes more sense than the article's phrasing.
- isabelc 2y ago
  Isn't it just that WP Engine made their own Stripe plugin for Woo? Why is this being called out as wrong?

> it feels a bit like a shake-down It is a shake down. And the problem with negotiating with people like this is that it never stops. There will never be enough contributions and money.

Terretta 2y ago

> the problem ... with people like this is that it never stops. By contrast, this doesn't make WPE look good: WP Engine had been siphoning “tens of millions” of dollars away from Woo’s revenue share partnership with Stripe into its own coffers. It’s understood WP Engine has been swapping out WooCommerce’s Stripe Connect Account information for its own when a user installs WooCommerce. That's the sort of thing that, if a proven problem, could seem less like a shakedown and more like active wire fraud. EDIT: As replies note, GPL. OK, but I realize I grew up thinking if someone gives me software it isn't to rip out their revenue model and replace it with mine, it is for me to do my own value added thing with it. Meaning, the stealth edit might not be wrong, but still seems uncool.

djbusby 2y ago
Or at least misleading the consumer - which is also not cool.
threeseed 2y ago
That is completely legal and ethical. WooCommerce is an open source, GPL project which allows people to modify the code in any way, including changing Stripe details, provided that they comply with the terms of the license. Licenses are a fundamental part of open source precisely so that in situations like this everyone knows the rules of the game.
kemayo 2y ago
It might be sketchy, but WooCommerce is a GPL project: https://github.com/woocommerce/woocommerce/blob/trunk/plugins/woocommerce/license.txt https://github.com/woocommerce/woocommerce/blob/trunk/plugin... This is explicitly the sort of thing that WP Engine would be allowed to do, and if Automattic isn't happy about this then perhaps they should have chosen non-free licenses. Basically: "wire fraud" is an extremely overblown claim. Nothing criminal is happening here, because they're complying with the license. Is it ethical? Debatable.
chuckadams 2y ago
WPE does not touch WooCommerce in any way. WooCommerce is a plugin that is itself extended through more plugins, including ones for working with payment providers such as Stripe. WPE makes a Stripe payment plugin that works with multiple eCommerce setups, including WooCommerce. WPE's plugin naturally uses WPE's affiliate code. Matt cannot stand competition, that's all.
- Terretta 2y ago
  Thanks — this makes more sense than the article's phrasing.
isabelc 2y ago
Isn't it just that WP Engine made their own Stripe plugin for Woo? Why is this being called out as wrong?