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What is going on here? I understand that open source companies have a free rider problem, and will naturally take steps to deal with that, but some of the recen

by moomin 2y ago

What is going on here? I understand that open source companies have a free rider problem, and will naturally take steps to deal with that, but some of the recent activities seem… strange. I’m thinking part of the problem is that the software itself is GPL and so is it’s ecosystem, which means that the standard next step of changing the license (followed by an inevitable fork) is infeasible.

unsnap_biceps 2y ago
It's not that at all. Matt wants money to flow to his commercial entity, or if they donate developers to the project, he still gets to see everything about their books. It's an invasive agreement designed to give his commercial entity a competitive advantage.
- danillonunes 2y ago
  I don't even think this is about money anymore. Matt may have started this cruzade for money, but at this point is just pettiness and refusal to backpedal.
- oskarkk 2y ago
  And work of the WP Engine developers would be directed by Wordpress.org, which is just Matt, not the foundation. From https://automattic.com/2024/wp-engine-term-sheet.pdf https://automattic.com/2024/wp-engine-term-sheet.pdf: Fee. In exchange for the License Grant, WP Engine shall do one of the following: (a) Pay Automattic a royalty fee equal to 8% of its Gross Revenue on a monthly basis, within fifteen days of the end of each month. "Gross Revenue" means all revenue generated by WP Engine from the sale of its services, calculated without deductions for taxes, refunds, or other costs. WP Engine will also provide Automattic a detailed monthly report of its Gross Revenue within fifteen days of the close of each calendar month, including a product line breakdown of all revenues generated. Automattic will have full audit rights. (b) Commit 8% of its revenue in the form of salaries of WP Engine employees working on WordPress core features and functionality to be directed by WordPress.org. WP Engine will provide Automattic a detailed monthly report demonstrating its fulfillment of this commitment. WordPress.org and Automattic will have full audit rights, including access to employee records and time-tracking. (c) Some combination of the above two options.
  - baggy_trough 2y ago
    Absolute madness.
  - rahkiin 2y ago
    > access to employee records and time-tracking I’ve seen subsidies where hourly totals are required ‘employee records’? Why does money go to Automattic instead of the Foundation?
    - throw16180339 2y ago
      > Why does money go to Automattic instead of the Foundation? Matt wants Automattic to get the money and he controls both of them.
- FireBeyond 2y ago
  > It's an invasive agreement designed to give his commercial entity a competitive advantage. Given how much they sunk into the boat anchor that is Tumblr, and how well Tumblr is doing right now, I'm not surprised they need any competitive advantage they can get.

by moomin 2y ago

unsnap_biceps 2y ago

It's not that at all. Matt wants money to flow to his commercial entity, or if they donate developers to the project, he still gets to see everything about their books. It's an invasive agreement designed to give his commercial entity a competitive advantage.

danillonunes 2y ago
I don't even think this is about money anymore. Matt may have started this cruzade for money, but at this point is just pettiness and refusal to backpedal.
oskarkk 2y ago
And work of the WP Engine developers would be directed by Wordpress.org, which is just Matt, not the foundation. From https://automattic.com/2024/wp-engine-term-sheet.pdf https://automattic.com/2024/wp-engine-term-sheet.pdf: Fee. In exchange for the License Grant, WP Engine shall do one of the following: (a) Pay Automattic a royalty fee equal to 8% of its Gross Revenue on a monthly basis, within fifteen days of the end of each month. "Gross Revenue" means all revenue generated by WP Engine from the sale of its services, calculated without deductions for taxes, refunds, or other costs. WP Engine will also provide Automattic a detailed monthly report of its Gross Revenue within fifteen days of the close of each calendar month, including a product line breakdown of all revenues generated. Automattic will have full audit rights. (b) Commit 8% of its revenue in the form of salaries of WP Engine employees working on WordPress core features and functionality to be directed by WordPress.org. WP Engine will provide Automattic a detailed monthly report demonstrating its fulfillment of this commitment. WordPress.org and Automattic will have full audit rights, including access to employee records and time-tracking. (c) Some combination of the above two options.
- baggy_trough 2y ago
  Absolute madness.
- rahkiin 2y ago
  > access to employee records and time-tracking I’ve seen subsidies where hourly totals are required ‘employee records’? Why does money go to Automattic instead of the Foundation?
  - throw16180339 2y ago
    > Why does money go to Automattic instead of the Foundation? Matt wants Automattic to get the money and he controls both of them.
FireBeyond 2y ago
> It's an invasive agreement designed to give his commercial entity a competitive advantage. Given how much they sunk into the boat anchor that is Tumblr, and how well Tumblr is doing right now, I'm not surprised they need any competitive advantage they can get.