WP Engine sent a letter to the head of Automattic Matta Mallenweg with the demand to “stop the slander.” The reason was the supposedly false accusation of the latter against WP Engine and the demand to pay tens of millions of dollars for using the WordPress trademark.
According to WP Engine, the head of Automattic called the company “Cancer Tumor” and threatened to damage it in case of refusal of the annual payment of a huge amount for the license to use the WordPress brand.
In the meantime, WP Engine itself emphasizes that I do not have to acquire a license, since the use of the brand falls under the category of “conscientious use.”
WP Engine claims that before his performance at the WordCamp US conference, Malleneg announced his intention to apply a “tough strategy against the company” if it does not satisfy its requirements. In addition, the head of Automattic claims that WP Engine benefits from WordPress without making a significant contribution to the development of the community.
Mallenweg publicly condemned WP Engine, saying that the company earns about half a billion dollars based on WordPress. However, its participation in the support of the development of the system is minimal. In his opinion, the shutdown of WP Engine functions of preserving the history of default changes shows neglecting the importance of user data.
In response to the charges, WP Engine requires to terminate such statements, and also insists on the lack of need for licensing. According to the letter, the company has the right to use the brand on the basis of the WordPress Foundation.
Among other things, WP Engine hints at possible legal actions against Automattic related to unfair competition, but at the time of publication specific claims were not filed.
Automattic, in turn, sent a response letter and lowered a separate statement to stop the use of trademarks and prepare documents for a possible trial.