Lots has been written about the case Matt Mullenweg made for WP Engine abusing the WordPress open source project and WP Engine’s legal response. This blog post won’t be about who said what, because frankly most of us don’t know what is actually going on behind closed doors and meetings of executives. But this sudden turn of events does make one take pause.
The WordPress open-source project is facing a growing pain. Despite its massive 40%+ market share, the project’s volunteer base is feeling the strain, and major contributors like Automattic aren’t getting support from other major vendors in the community. This has led to a sense of uneasiness in the community, raising questions about the project’s future and sustainability.
Being in this position after 20+ years of WordPress gaining over 40% market share is very surprising and frustrating for the community. While WordPress has relied on the generosity of volunteers and a few larger companies for years, the increasing complexity of the project demands a more robust sustainability solution. It’s time to explore alternative funding models that ensure adequate resources for future innovation.
An attempt at a new WorPress governance model was attemepted but died on the vine. This is *really* hard work. At least two questions remain yet to be fully addressed:
How do volunteers and employees at for-profit and not-for-profit organizations get adequately incentivized?
What incentives can be used to align individual and organizational interests and ambitions?
The Challenge of Volunteerism at Scale
WordPress’s reliance on volunteers has been both its strength and its weakness. While volunteers have done incredible work, at scale, the current model struggles to meet the demands of a project as large and complex as WordPress.
The current “Five for the Future” initiative encourages companies to dedicate a portion of their resources to WordPress, but it’s clear that this isn’t enough. If you are paid to contribute to WordPress, well then it’s your job. But most people are not paid to contribute time to the public WordPress project. We need a new model that incentivizes contribution and ensures adequate funding for the project’s continued growth.
A Shared Element Model for WordPress
One potential solution is to adopt a shared element model akin to how condominiums operate. I happen to be the president of one (and even built us a WordPress website!). In a condo, residents pay monthly fees that cover the maintenance and upkeep of shared amenities. And of course people scream when they have to pay more fees or are assessed a large fee to, say, fix the garage before the condo collapses. Similarly, WordPress could implement a fee structure based on the size and commercial use of entities benefiting from the platform.
Here’s how this could work:
- Define the Scope: Clearly outline what constitutes the “common elements” of WordPress (e.g., the core software, community, documentation, innovation projects, etc).
- Budget and Review: Establish a yearly budget that reflects the true cost of maintaining and developing WordPress.
- Fee Collection: Implement a tiered fee structure based on the size and commercial nature of entities using WordPress.
- Time Contribution: Allow for contributed time in lieu of fees, recognizing the value of volunteer work.
- Project Prioritization: Allocate resources to projects based on available fees and time contributions, ensuring efficient resource management.
The Road Ahead
While this model may seem bureaucratic, with careful design and automation, it could offer a sustainable and equitable solution for WordPress’s funding needs. It’s time to rethink the “Five for the Future” initiative and create a sustainable model that ensures adequate resources for the project’s long-term success.
This transition won’t be easy, but it’s necessary to secure WordPress’s future. By adopting a new sustainability model, the community can ensure that the project continues to thrive and evolve, benefiting the millions of people and thousands of organizations who rely on it. It’s time for Five for the Future 2.0. The Drupal founder has some excellent suggestions and a tried and true credits model on offer.
Postscript: Morten Rand-Hendricksen predicted much of what is happening now years ago.
Postscript 2: Have you read this looong Trac ticket on the plugin install trend chart being removed from the WordPress plugin repository? Makes a good case for sustaining the actual repository database with plugin author registration fees like Apple does for iOS app developers. At 10,000 plugin authors you could sustainably fund several FTEs just working on the plugin and theme repository and related data behind the plugins and themes.
