7 ms·

Mary Hubbard New Executive Director of Wordpress.org

51 points by program 2y ago

photomatt 2y ago
I'm very excited to have Mary on board. :)
- mattbeck 2y ago
  Can you clarify if this is a 1:1 backfill for Josepha's role or if her scope will be different?
  - photomatt 2y ago
    The scope will be significantly broader as Mary brings a lot of talents to the ecosystem.
- mattl 2y ago
  Can you clarify if "Executive Director of WordPress.org" is the same job as "Executive Director of the WordPress Foundation"? I know you personally own wordpress.org and not the foundation (as many people suspected) so this is unclear.
  - bzmrgonz 2y ago
    There is a wordpressfoundation<dot>org, so I doubt it. In my opinion <dot>org is software repo/wp-inc HQ.. and <dot>com is commercial and hosting enterprise. But of course, let's hear from the horse's mouth himself!! :-P
  - photomatt 2y ago
    Totally different. The Foundation has no employees, only volunteers and three board members. (I'm one of them.)
    - mattl 2y ago
      I’d love to see something on the foundation website which explains this. Thanks for your reply.
      - neilperetz 2y ago
        Indeed, a blog post with more detail is forthcoming.
    - vinnysgreen 2y ago
      What legal entity is WordPress.org insured under, and who cuts the checks?
      - ankleturtle 2y ago
        Wordpress.org isn't a legal entity. It's simply a domain owned by Matt. It seems Matt has a license to use the Wordpress trademarks. The Wordpress Foundation is a non-profit legal entity with a tiny budget. It appears the only thing it does is serve as a holding entity for the trademarks and the for-profit company than operates the WordCamp conferences. I suspect that Automattic is the one who foots the bill for the infrastructure behind Wordpress.org, but that's not clear. Matt talks about transparency, but how everything operates is a muddled mess.
        FireBeyond 2y ago
        > Wordpress.org isn't a legal entity. It's simply a domain owned by Matt. Automattic's website (https://automattic.com/2024/10/02/wordpress-trademarks-a-legal-perspective/ https://automattic.com/2024/10/02/wordpress-trademarks-a-leg...) says otherwise: > The Foundation also licensed the name WordPress to the non-profit WordPress.org, which runs a website that facilitates access to WordPress-related software.
        ankleturtle 2y ago
        This is straight from Matt, himself: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41782365 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41782365
  - slouch 2y ago
    Executive Director of WordPress.org is simply a job title at Automattic. Josepha found out about the WP Engine ban from wordpress.org in real time along with the rest of the community.
- quintoni 2y ago
  Can you clarify when you're going to cease your public tantrums and your erratic idiotic behavior that is causing problems for Wordpress users worldwide?
legitster 2y ago
At this point, I am not even sure what Wordpress.org is anymore other than a marketing department for Automattic. It's hard to know if this is a real position with real people reporting to it or if the entire org is a paper department.
- that_guy_iain 2y ago
  I suspect we'll only find out when WP Engine makes them explain it all out in court. WP Engine, the hero we didn't even know we needed. /s
- cdolan 2y ago
  IMO that is why .org was not named in the lawsuit - it is simply an alter ego of MM
- rednsbd 2y ago
  wp.org is owned by Matt, so basically WordPress.org is Matt
DonnieBurger 2y ago
Apparently Automattic states she's back working for them: https://x.com/automattic/status/1843750645037445200 https://x.com/automattic/status/1843750645037445200 So then what is WordPress.org in this context?
- pluginvulns 2y ago
  WordPress.org seems to be used to refer to Matt Mullenweg [1], as he apparently personally owns it, though one of Automattic's lawyers said last week that it is a non-profit that is separate from the WordPress Foundation [2]. The previous Executive Director of WordPress was also an Automattic employee. When they were announced in the role their employment with Automattic also wasn't disclosed [3]. [1] https://www.pluginvulnerabilities.com/2024/10/02/who-or-what-is-wordpress-org/ https://www.pluginvulnerabilities.com/2024/10/02/who-or-what... [2] https://www.pluginvulnerabilities.com/2024/10/03/automattic-is-now-claiming-that-a-non-profit-other-than-the-wordpress-foundation-controls-wordpress-and-wordpress-org/ https://www.pluginvulnerabilities.com/2024/10/03/automattic-... [3] https://make.wordpress.org/updates/2019/01/16/expanding-wordpress-leadership/ https://make.wordpress.org/updates/2019/01/16/expanding-word...
  - photomatt 2y ago
    All the information in the links you shared is totally wrong. Our lawyers have never said that WordPress.org is a non-profit or owned by the Foundation. It's owned and run by me personally, and I have a trademark license from the WordPress Foundation to use the WordPress name and brand on the site.
    - pluginvulns 2y ago
      Here is the original source for the claim, which is on Automattic's website: https://automattic.com/2024/10/02/wordpress-trademarks-a-legal-perspective/ https://automattic.com/2024/10/02/wordpress-trademarks-a-leg... The author is identified as Neil Peretz, who it says is an associate general counsel at Automattic. He says: "The Foundation also licensed the name WordPress to the non-profit WordPress.org, which runs a website that facilitates access to WordPress-related software." A graphic included in the post similarly claims that "Right to use name as part of non-profit activities" went to WordPress. With the arrow coming from the WordPress Foundation. We contacted Automattic's press email for clarification on that claim on Thursday. We have yet to hear back and the post hasn't been updated.
jaredcwhite 2y ago
Does Mary Hubbard have the ability to kick Matt Mullenweg out of the org when he implodes? If not, she's not really an executive director of anything, but merely a puppet. I feel like I've seen this entire song and dance routine before with the "Rails Foundation" — aka a cozy insiders club built to prop up DHH and his worldview. I find all of this stuff distasteful and not at all in keeping with the spirit of open source.
- nchmy 2y ago
  First, she's working for Automattic/wp dot org, not the WP Foundation. Also, an executive director never has control over the board - they serve the board. But a major difference between the WP Foundation and Rails Foundation is that the Rails one appears to be a legitimate foundation, with real budget and activities, real governance and transparency provided by actual, living, involved, knowledgeable humans who have agency. The Wordpress Foundation is a shell for trademark and tax fraud... It has no governance, transparency, or even seemingly any activities. And the TWO non-Matt directors are completely MIA, with one of them seemingly having no Wordpress affiliation while also working in Matt's much-maligned private equity industry (who also fund his own company!) Also, the Rails Trademark is under exclusive, seemingly transparent license to the Rails Foundation. Whereas the WP Trademark was ceremoniously "given" to the WP Foundation (controlled, in effect, exclusively by Matt) in 2010, and then secretly given right back to Matt the same day.
heymikebal 2y ago
I reported up to Mary for a while at Automattic and she's a fantastic leader with low/no tolerance for drama or egos. I think .org is lucky to have her and I'm hopeful she'll bring true product leadership and perspective to it.

51 points by program 2y ago

photomatt 2y ago

I'm very excited to have Mary on board. :)

mattbeck 2y ago
Can you clarify if this is a 1:1 backfill for Josepha's role or if her scope will be different?
- photomatt 2y ago
  The scope will be significantly broader as Mary brings a lot of talents to the ecosystem.
mattl 2y ago
Can you clarify if "Executive Director of WordPress.org" is the same job as "Executive Director of the WordPress Foundation"? I know you personally own wordpress.org and not the foundation (as many people suspected) so this is unclear.
- bzmrgonz 2y ago
  There is a wordpressfoundation<dot>org, so I doubt it. In my opinion <dot>org is software repo/wp-inc HQ.. and <dot>com is commercial and hosting enterprise. But of course, let's hear from the horse's mouth himself!! :-P
- photomatt 2y ago
  Totally different. The Foundation has no employees, only volunteers and three board members. (I'm one of them.)
  - mattl 2y ago
    I’d love to see something on the foundation website which explains this. Thanks for your reply.
    - neilperetz 2y ago
      Indeed, a blog post with more detail is forthcoming.
  - vinnysgreen 2y ago
    What legal entity is WordPress.org insured under, and who cuts the checks?
    - ankleturtle 2y ago
      Wordpress.org isn't a legal entity. It's simply a domain owned by Matt. It seems Matt has a license to use the Wordpress trademarks. The Wordpress Foundation is a non-profit legal entity with a tiny budget. It appears the only thing it does is serve as a holding entity for the trademarks and the for-profit company than operates the WordCamp conferences. I suspect that Automattic is the one who foots the bill for the infrastructure behind Wordpress.org, but that's not clear. Matt talks about transparency, but how everything operates is a muddled mess.
      - FireBeyond 2y ago
        > Wordpress.org isn't a legal entity. It's simply a domain owned by Matt. Automattic's website (https://automattic.com/2024/10/02/wordpress-trademarks-a-legal-perspective/ https://automattic.com/2024/10/02/wordpress-trademarks-a-leg...) says otherwise: > The Foundation also licensed the name WordPress to the non-profit WordPress.org, which runs a website that facilitates access to WordPress-related software.
        ankleturtle 2y ago
        This is straight from Matt, himself: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41782365 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41782365
- slouch 2y ago
  Executive Director of WordPress.org is simply a job title at Automattic. Josepha found out about the WP Engine ban from wordpress.org in real time along with the rest of the community.
quintoni 2y ago
Can you clarify when you're going to cease your public tantrums and your erratic idiotic behavior that is causing problems for Wordpress users worldwide?

legitster 2y ago

At this point, I am not even sure what Wordpress.org is anymore other than a marketing department for Automattic. It's hard to know if this is a real position with real people reporting to it or if the entire org is a paper department.

that_guy_iain 2y ago
I suspect we'll only find out when WP Engine makes them explain it all out in court. WP Engine, the hero we didn't even know we needed. /s
cdolan 2y ago
IMO that is why .org was not named in the lawsuit - it is simply an alter ego of MM
rednsbd 2y ago
wp.org is owned by Matt, so basically WordPress.org is Matt

DonnieBurger 2y ago

Apparently Automattic states she's back working for them: https://x.com/automattic/status/1843750645037445200 https://x.com/automattic/status/1843750645037445200 So then what is WordPress.org in this context?

pluginvulns 2y ago
WordPress.org seems to be used to refer to Matt Mullenweg [1], as he apparently personally owns it, though one of Automattic's lawyers said last week that it is a non-profit that is separate from the WordPress Foundation [2]. The previous Executive Director of WordPress was also an Automattic employee. When they were announced in the role their employment with Automattic also wasn't disclosed [3]. [1] https://www.pluginvulnerabilities.com/2024/10/02/who-or-what-is-wordpress-org/ https://www.pluginvulnerabilities.com/2024/10/02/who-or-what... [2] https://www.pluginvulnerabilities.com/2024/10/03/automattic-is-now-claiming-that-a-non-profit-other-than-the-wordpress-foundation-controls-wordpress-and-wordpress-org/ https://www.pluginvulnerabilities.com/2024/10/03/automattic-... [3] https://make.wordpress.org/updates/2019/01/16/expanding-wordpress-leadership/ https://make.wordpress.org/updates/2019/01/16/expanding-word...
- photomatt 2y ago
  All the information in the links you shared is totally wrong. Our lawyers have never said that WordPress.org is a non-profit or owned by the Foundation. It's owned and run by me personally, and I have a trademark license from the WordPress Foundation to use the WordPress name and brand on the site.
  - pluginvulns 2y ago
    Here is the original source for the claim, which is on Automattic's website: https://automattic.com/2024/10/02/wordpress-trademarks-a-legal-perspective/ https://automattic.com/2024/10/02/wordpress-trademarks-a-leg... The author is identified as Neil Peretz, who it says is an associate general counsel at Automattic. He says: "The Foundation also licensed the name WordPress to the non-profit WordPress.org, which runs a website that facilitates access to WordPress-related software." A graphic included in the post similarly claims that "Right to use name as part of non-profit activities" went to WordPress. With the arrow coming from the WordPress Foundation. We contacted Automattic's press email for clarification on that claim on Thursday. We have yet to hear back and the post hasn't been updated.

jaredcwhite 2y ago

Does Mary Hubbard have the ability to kick Matt Mullenweg out of the org when he implodes? If not, she's not really an executive director of anything, but merely a puppet. I feel like I've seen this entire song and dance routine before with the "Rails Foundation" — aka a cozy insiders club built to prop up DHH and his worldview. I find all of this stuff distasteful and not at all in keeping with the spirit of open source.

nchmy 2y ago
First, she's working for Automattic/wp dot org, not the WP Foundation. Also, an executive director never has control over the board - they serve the board. But a major difference between the WP Foundation and Rails Foundation is that the Rails one appears to be a legitimate foundation, with real budget and activities, real governance and transparency provided by actual, living, involved, knowledgeable humans who have agency. The Wordpress Foundation is a shell for trademark and tax fraud... It has no governance, transparency, or even seemingly any activities. And the TWO non-Matt directors are completely MIA, with one of them seemingly having no Wordpress affiliation while also working in Matt's much-maligned private equity industry (who also fund his own company!) Also, the Rails Trademark is under exclusive, seemingly transparent license to the Rails Foundation. Whereas the WP Trademark was ceremoniously "given" to the WP Foundation (controlled, in effect, exclusively by Matt) in 2010, and then secretly given right back to Matt the same day.

heymikebal 2y ago

I reported up to Mary for a while at Automattic and she's a fantastic leader with low/no tolerance for drama or egos. I think .org is lucky to have her and I'm hopeful she'll bring true product leadership and perspective to it.