Paul Barthmaier

I appreciate the recent discussion from WordCamp sponsors and understand the fiduciary responsibility that those entities have to their investors. The significance that money plays in all of our lives is self-evident, but discussions about ROI seem off the mark of the mission, intent, and purpose of WordPress. If common sense would say that money has a louder voice than time and effort of individuals, then I will submit that I’m not interested in being common.

I applaud the actions of the WordPress Foundation and its founder at this past weekend’s WordCamp US. I can imagine it was a difficulty situation for all parties involved, but I see it as a courageous move to draw a hard line in the sand. It’s a slippery slope from the point where the scales tip in favor of profit. We should all keep in mind the idea behind WordPress, namely Democratizing Publishing. As a result, the focus should not shift from the software to a financial discussion. To do so would almost surely kill the goose that laid the golden egg.

I see this community as appreciating all of the resources invested in its upkeep, whether it be from individuals donating their time and expertise, as evidenced from the several hundred volunteers who showed up for Contributor Day on Sunday, or from companies who carve out a business model on top of the platform the software provides. It takes a village, for sure, and we all get to vote.

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