WP Engine is not WordPress

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

What “not WordPress” is claimed to mean

  • Core complaint is that WP Engine disables post revisions by default and applies other platform-level restrictions, yet markets itself as “trusted WordPress hosting.”
  • Some argue this materially changes how WordPress is supposed to work, especially for content‑driven sites where revision history is central.
  • Others say WP Engine runs stock WordPress with config changes, so calling it a “chopped up” knock‑off is seen as exaggerated.

Revisions and technical trade‑offs

  • Several developers report revisions causing large, slow databases and timeouts, especially on complex or plugin‑heavy sites.
  • WP itself documents ways to disable or limit revisions; WordPress.com reportedly limits them too.
  • From this view, turning them off by default is framed as a reasonable performance/cost optimization, especially when WP Engine offers full-site snapshots and rollbacks instead.

Trademarks, branding, and confusion

  • Some think using the “WordPress” name for a modified environment may bump into typical open‑source trademark norms, where significant forks use a different name.
  • Others respond that toggling built‑in settings isn’t a fork.
  • Multiple commenters argue that the real long‑standing confusion is between WordPress.org (software) and WordPress.com (hosted product), not WP Engine’s branding.

Open source, value extraction, and licensing

  • Big sub‑thread on whether commercial hosts “extract value” from open source without giving enough back.
  • Some call this “wage theft” in spirit; others counter that the GPL explicitly permits commercial use, so this is voluntary, not theft.
  • Suggestions appear to use non‑commercial or “fair source” style licenses in new projects; for WordPress itself, relicensing is described as effectively impossible due to GPL history and many contributors.

Conflict of interest and governance concerns

  • Many note the accuser runs competing commercial WordPress hosting products, so using the .org platform to attack a rival feels like corporate mudslinging or “millionaire tantrum.”
  • Some worry this sets a precedent for targeting successful ecosystem companies that don’t align with one company’s business goals.

User experiences with WP Engine

  • Positive: strong security defaults, disallowed risky plugins, must‑use security plugins, easy staging, backups, performance tools, and the Local development app.
  • Negative: high pricing, upsells, some performance complaints, and frustration with restrictions (revisions, query limits, disallowed plugins).

Escalation and missing context

  • Commenters note prior disputes about WP Engine’s level of contribution to WordPress and an employee allegedly fired after saying management blocked contributions.
  • The dispute has reportedly escalated to mutual legal action, but many feel the public post lacked crucial context and nuance.