Wix and WordPress have been engaging in a public spat that keeps getting nastier with each response. A new response from Wix seems to lower the temperature on the dispute.
The latest round of open letters between WordPress and Wix was instigated by a series of polarizing video ads created by Wix.
The ads were generally poorly received in the web development and search marketing community. However, some found the ads humorous.
The biggest complaint seemed to be that the ads were inappropriately negative against WordPress, a popular and beloved open-source content management system. Some wished that Wix had taken a higher road with their ads.
### Matt Mullenweg Responds
Matt Mullenweg, the developer behind WordPress and the founder of Automattic, a company that creates various popular web and WordPress-related offerings, responded with a passionate essay.
In an essay entitled “Wix and Their Dirty Tricks,” he painted Wix as thieves. He reminded readers that Wix had been accused of “stealing WordPress code and lying about it.”
Next, he accused Wix of trying to gain relevance by attacking the open-source WordPress community and expressed empathy for the actors and workers involved who were “forced” to make the Wix attack ads.
He further criticized Wix’s business model, comparing it to a trap for vermin, implying that Wix makes it difficult for clients to switch to a different system. He also expressed surprise that consumer protection agencies haven’t yet gone after Wix for their business practices.
### Wix Responds
Given how negative the Wix attack ads were, the response from Wix’s CEO, Avishai Abrahami, was refreshingly sober and focused on facts.
I asked a friend with 25 years in the search marketing business to read the Wix response, and he remarked that he found it “nice and sane.”
The open letter from Wix begins by noting the prevalence of anger and “half-truths” in Matt’s essay and asks, “Why are you so angry?” The Wix CEO presents himself as fair and sticking to facts while portraying Matt Mullenweg as angry and not telling the truth.
The issues with WordPress that he cites include:
– High maintenance
– Problematic plugins
– Memory issues
– Security
### Hypocrisy and Friendly Competition
Avishai accuses Matt Mullenweg of being hypocritical for criticizing Wix for negativity by claiming it was Matt who began the bitter exchanges. He portrayed WordPress as the initial aggressor, with Wix simply responding to the negativity from WordPress.
Next, he portrayed Wix as open to criticism and eager to learn from it. Avishai wrote, “When you guys wrote about issues with Wix, like SEO and performance, we didn’t complain, we owned it and worked hard to fix it.”
He then questioned why WordPress can’t do the same to own their issues and work to improve them, although this might be unfair since problematic plugins are developed by third parties and are not under the direct control of WordPress itself.
### Did Wix Steal WordPress’ Code?
Wix addressed the accusation of stealing WordPress code by stating that they did not steal “General Public License” code and noted that they had addressed this accusation five years ago.
### Does Wix Lock Users In?
Wix CEO Avishai Abrahami refuted the claim that Wix locks users in and referenced a tool for importing content from Wix to WordPress.
### Wix Offers Apology
The CEO later affirmed his belief in “friendly competition” and the benefit of businesses challenging each other to be better. He offered an apology if their ads offended anyone.
### Response to Wix Open Letter
Responses fell along polarized lines, with some people seeing truths on both sides. One veteran WordPress user expressed on Twitter that he enjoyed Avishai Abrahami’s response to Matt Mullenweg, although he disagreed about certain points like security issues.
### Criticism of Wix
Some responses seemed to quibble about details rather than directly engage with the points made by Wix. For example, someone took issue with Avishai’s reference to the WordPress developers as “you guys.”
### Less Finger Pointing and More Coffee
Several people felt both sides made valid points but suggested they stop pointing fingers and focus on their own issues. One person tweeted that both Wix and WordPress are good and bad in different ways.
Many people were taken aback by the negativity and arguably poor taste of the Wix advertisements. It seemed to mark an escalation of tensions between WordPress and Wix. There’s so much negativity in the world today that it doesn’t make sense to add more in the form of nasty videos and finger-pointing. Maybe it’s time to move on?
