WP Engine vs. Wordpress - What Small Business Owners Should Know
There’s been a lot of drama in the Wordpress community this week. Matt Mullenweg, the founder of Wordpress has taken issue with a prominent Wordpress hosting provider, WP Engine. Essentially, Matt claims there’s trademark infringement with how WP Engine markets their services and criticizes their lack of contribution to the open-source community. Mullenweg has even gone as far as calling WP Engine “a cancer to Wordpress”. He then proceeded to ban WP Engine from using Wordpress resources.
On the other hand, WP Engine has filed a cease-and-desist letter asking him to retract his disparaging comments. According to WP Engine, Mullenweg allegedly made significant financial demands, including asking for a percentage of WP Engine’s revenue to use the WordPress trademark. They claim that when the demands were not met, Mullenweg publicly criticized the company, sparking this legal battle.
How Does This Affect Small Business Owners Running Wordpress?
Wordpress is the most widely used content management system in the world, with more than 43% of all live websites running on Wordpress. For small business owners relying on Wordpress for their websites, this dispute may feel confusing or even alarming. On the bright side, if your website is not hosted on WP Engine this current situation will not have an immediate effect on your website. How this will affect the Wordpress community in general is yet to be seen.
How Does This Impact WP Engine Users?
One immediate concern is that WP Engine has been denied access to WordPress.org resources. This means that users hosting their WordPress sites on WP Engine may encounter difficulties updating plugins and themes directly through the WordPress admin panel. Regularly upgrading plugins is critical for keeping WordPress websites secure and functional. Without these updates, sites could be vulnerable to security threats, plugin incompatibilities, or even downtime.
While this conflict unfolds, one workaround for WP Engine users is to manually upgrade plugins via SFTP. Although this method is more labor-intensive, it helps ensure your website remains secure and up-to-date. For now, migrating to another host is another option, but this decision shouldn't be rushed until the situation develops further.
The Importance of Expert Guidance
These unpredictable developments highlight the value of having access to an industry expert who can guide you through these kinds of issues. With constant shifts in the WordPress ecosystem, having a trusted partner can help small businesses avoid disruptions. An expert can assist with choosing the best hosting provider for your needs, navigating any technical challenges, and maintaining your website so that you don’t have to worry about legal battles or industry disputes affecting your online presence.
For instance, our WordPress maintenance and hosting services are designed to give small business owners peace of mind. We stay on top of the latest developments, handle critical updates, and ensure that your site remains secure, regardless of the broader conflicts affecting the WordPress community. Whether it’s dealing with changes in hosting or keeping your plugins and themes updated, we’re here to manage the technical details so you can focus on running your business.
Why a Maintenance & Care Plan Matters
At the end of the day, keeping up with these developments can be overwhelming, especially when you have a business to run. A comprehensive maintenance and care plan removes the burden of managing these changes on your own. With a WordPress expert on your side, you can rest easy knowing that your website is in good hands. We handle the security, updates, and hosting decisions while providing guidance tailored to your business.
In a time where legal conflicts like the one between WP Engine and Automattic may cause uncertainty, having an expert to guide you ensures your website remains secure and functional. Contact us to see how we can help keep your site secure.
