@Kevin Muldoon - I was really pleased for Jeff when WP Tavern was acquired. I’m also a big fan of Matt...

Absolutely, on both points. It was a sharp loss when Jeff & his site went inactive, and a major asset to have them back. Everything I've ever heard or seen about Matt Mullenweg is a big confidence-builder, for WordPress. He himself is the overiding recommendation for the product, in my book.

The Feeds on our WordPress Dash/Admin have a hefty "historical" component. This is stuff that evolved & came together piece-by-step ... rather than as an icky scheme to dink with people or the user-public at large.

And you're right, Kevin: perceptions of conflicting interests are a weightier matter than that the peons are treated like peons ... which mostly they won't even notice, much less cop an attitude about. My own indignation notwithstanding.

Once a higher-level entity that we all must depend upon, like say the IRS, clearly shows that they are acting out of a conflict of interests, then yeah, it's serious stuff. We won't be able to relax now for another couple of election-cycles, at least.