Wow! Ghost and/or Ghost.org do look very interesting--written in 100% javascript --with no PHP... (woot!)

I'm thinking that the greatest thing WordPress and/or WPTavern.com can do for a potential market competitor is to write about a non-profit foundation like Ghost.org and mention, Ghost, the name of their open-source project.

The marketing clout and name-brand recognition of WordPress, in terms of SEO-influence alone, is helping the 'Ghost Website and Blogging Platform' open-source project immeasurably.

Granted, I'm just a (lowly) WordPress end-user and not a WP Dev or anything like that, but I had never heard of Ghost.org or even thought to #TryGhost as a potential website and blogging platform alternative to WordPress (both .com and .org) until Ghost was mentioned here on WPTavern a bunch of times.

Perhaps some of non-profit Ghost.org's MIT-licensed, open source ideas and innovations will serve as a market wake-up call for WordPress?

As an end-user with a fairly decent progression in my WP-learning over the past four years, my experience with WordPress is one of increasing complexity and security concerns, inconsistent user interface, and a goofy, duct-taped hodge-podge (to this end-user anyway) of frameworks, themes, child-themes, and plugins.

Also, considering the periodic public bickering, extremely defensive, and oft-condescending WordPress dev community, what's not to love about a potential alternative website framework and blogging platform option like Ghost?

Add-in the reality of the annual *cost* of a decent WordPress website (all those yearly license fees to pay for WP-plugin functionality add-up!), and you have a decently large number of us WordPress end-users who have had enough of the bull$hit. We just want an uncomplicated, usable, supportable, learn-able platform that both works and functions as a writing and material-publishing tool when we want need it. Ghost may give you a run for your money. (Run Forrest. Run!)

From this lowly WordPress end-user's perspective, I think the WordPress dev and WP support communities might be surprised at the size (it's gotta be huge) of the WordPress end-user market segment that's just begging to be presented with a less-complicated, easily maintained, user-friendly option such as that which Ghost portends to be at the expense of WordPress.

We in the WordPress DIY end-user market segment will jump (are jumping) at what Ghost promises. Its worth at least a look and a test drive for the possibility of relief from what's become an increasingly frustrated relationship with an unwieldy-WordPress product and WP eco-system.

Maybe some market competition from the likes of Ghost will kick WordPress in the butt? Perhaps you guys will be forced to get your shit together? Competition in the marketplace tends to benefit the customer/end-user. (Said by the Econ Major/MBA guy here.) Here's hoping anyway.

That said, by fostering this discussion here, you guys are probably growing Ghost.org's SEO and resulting market share by the minute. I guess that's the spirit of an unbiased news website, of sharing in general, and of the open-source community as a whole. That's pretty cool, I say!

Thanks. I appreciate your example of unbiased reporting here.

BTW, to any/all WordPress Devs and WP-fiends who may be inclined to be offended and would react defensively by what I've written here, I say...have at it. Start the pointed and personal counter-attacks! It's all free. (Like Free Beer, right? Ha!)

Cheers
(rant over)