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0 pointsthrow161803391y ago0 comments

> Am I the only one who can't imagine a good outcome from all this?

Here's a possible good outcome.

1. The board fires Matt, stops chasing windmills, and settles with WP Engine. I'm kind of surprised they haven't done so already - it's all downhill from here. He's either lying to them, not listening, or they're drinking the Kool Aid.

2. Matt steps down from the WordPress Foundation and transfers ownership of wordpress.org to them. He takes his hundreds of millions of dollars and does something else.

3. The new CEO apologizes to the community and establishes public processes for removing extensions and such. Checks and balances are added.

4. The WordPress Foundation's new director orders a house clearing. Many hosting providers and developers are invited to join the board. It's no longer an instrument of Matt's will, but represents the community.

The first step will probably happen at some point.

The second step could happen, but seems unlikely. I think there's a significant chance Matt would go on a rampage if he was fired. He clearly thinks of WordPress as his personal property. If he retains control of the foundation, there's nothing to stop him from continuing his crusade there. He's certainly got the funds to do so.

The third step is effectively required if he's fired. It's even mentioned in the 48 Laws of Power.

I don't think this outcome is particularly likely, but it could happen. People do sometimes win the lottery.

0 comments

chiefalchemist1y ago

I can see those, but I don't imagine there's even a fair chance of them happening.

In my mind, shortly after the WordCamp US things should have leveled out. Someone should have pulled Matt aside and said, "OK, you vented. Pissed all over The Community who showed up, but you vented. Let's get this back on the rails..."

It's possible that was said. But Matt's listening skills aren't good and lately have gotten worse. To me, the long this stays off the rails the less likely it is to get back on the rails.

Someday this is going to be an HBR case study on how not to ensure your legacy. There should also be an HBR case study for Gutenberg, "How not to roll out a product."

throw16180339OP1y ago

CEOs can get away with a lot if they're successful; Elon Musk is a good example. That only goes so far, though. If he wins the trademark lawsuit, he can probably do whatever he wants. If he loses, there's a shareholder lawsuit, or he continues escalating then at some point he'll be removed. One can only hope.

SXX1y ago

There are very good chances Matt control majority of Automattic. It's private company so he can do whatever he wants.

Also their employee "shares" dont have any voting rights:

https://ma.tt/2024/10/owner-mentality/

chiefalchemist1y ago

Yeah, Musk and others come to mind. But WP is supposed to OSS. Musk didn't build his empire on the backs of volunteers. Musk has built multiple successful ventures. Matt has step in it once.

In the context OSS Matt's behaviour is deplorable. His insistence on digging a deeper and deeper hole is freightening.

It's digital self-emmolation. It's professional suicide.

FireBeyond1y ago

> The board fires Matt, stops chasing windmills, and settles with WP Engine

The board is Matt and a PE firm Managing Partner, appointed by Matt. The third board member m (also appointed by Matt) doesn’t seem to have been active in any way shape or form in several years.

I don’t see this happening.

throw16180339OP1y ago

I agree that the Wordpress Foundation will remain under his control. The Automattic board (https://automattic.com/board/), however, has four other members, so it's possible they'll remove him. They can't all be true believers in his Delenda est WP Engine agenda. One can only hope.

FreakLegion1y ago

You'd need to see the cap table and articles of incorporation to know if the board has any power. Salesforce invested $300m in the D round and doesn't have a seat, for example. Phil Black and maybe Toni Schneider's seats might be protected, but Matt could have the voting power to replace the other two at will.

Current drama aside, good for him if that's the case. Very few founders maintain absolute control past a Series C.

1 more reply

philistine1y ago

I don't believe that this board will do anything that isn't already on the meeting agenda that Matt has prepared: https://automattic.com/board/

It is so transparently apparent that these people are completely subservient to Matt.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 pointsthrow161803391y ago0 comments

> Am I the only one who can't imagine a good outcome from all this?

Here's a possible good outcome.

2. Matt steps down from the WordPress Foundation and transfers ownership of wordpress.org to them. He takes his hundreds of millions of dollars and does something else.

3. The new CEO apologizes to the community and establishes public processes for removing extensions and such. Checks and balances are added.

The first step will probably happen at some point.

The third step is effectively required if he's fired. It's even mentioned in the 48 Laws of Power.

I don't think this outcome is particularly likely, but it could happen. People do sometimes win the lottery.

0 comments

chiefalchemist1y ago

I can see those, but I don't imagine there's even a fair chance of them happening.

It's possible that was said. But Matt's listening skills aren't good and lately have gotten worse. To me, the long this stays off the rails the less likely it is to get back on the rails.

Someday this is going to be an HBR case study on how not to ensure your legacy. There should also be an HBR case study for Gutenberg, "How not to roll out a product."

throw16180339OP1y ago

SXX1y ago

There are very good chances Matt control majority of Automattic. It's private company so he can do whatever he wants.

Also their employee "shares" dont have any voting rights:

https://ma.tt/2024/10/owner-mentality/

chiefalchemist1y ago

Yeah, Musk and others come to mind. But WP is supposed to OSS. Musk didn't build his empire on the backs of volunteers. Musk has built multiple successful ventures. Matt has step in it once.

In the context OSS Matt's behaviour is deplorable. His insistence on digging a deeper and deeper hole is freightening.

It's digital self-emmolation. It's professional suicide.

FireBeyond1y ago

> The board fires Matt, stops chasing windmills, and settles with WP Engine

The board is Matt and a PE firm Managing Partner, appointed by Matt. The third board member m (also appointed by Matt) doesn’t seem to have been active in any way shape or form in several years.

I don’t see this happening.

throw16180339OP1y ago

FreakLegion1y ago

Current drama aside, good for him if that's the case. Very few founders maintain absolute control past a Series C.

1 more reply

philistine1y ago

I don't believe that this board will do anything that isn't already on the meeting agenda that Matt has prepared: https://automattic.com/board/

It is so transparently apparent that these people are completely subservient to Matt.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse