EP463 - Not that kind of block

On this episode of WPwatercooler, the discussion centers around the WordPress community, its leadership, and the challenges faced by its contributors. Sé Reed talks about her recent “kerfuffle” with Matt Mullenweg on Twitter/X and why she thinks he designated her as the only person he’s ever blocked in 17 years. The crew also discusses the significance of WordPress's open-source nature and the increasingly noticeable conflicts with Automattic, including Mullenweg’s demoralizing approach to leading the WordPress project. Sé highlights the challenges faced by the Make WordPress marketing team, including their inability to properly develop wordpress.org’s SEO. Both Jason Tucker and Jason Cosper chime in throughout the conversation, emphasizing the value of community involvement and historic context. The episode wraps up with encouragement for listeners to actively contribute to making all of WordPress better, and a call for accountability across the WordPress project.

https://x.com/sereedmedia/status/1702032575190155637?s=20

Chapters:
00:00:00 Intro
00:05:00 Background of the WordPress Community
00:10:00 The Role and Influence of Matt Mullenweg
00:15:00 The Evolution of WordPress and its Ecosystem
00:20:00 Challenges in Open Source Projects
00:25:00 The Importance of Community Feedback
00:30:00 The Dynamics of WordPress Leadership
00:35:00 Sé Reed's Personal Experiences and Observations
00:40:00 The Future of WordPress and its Direction
00:45:00 The Role of WordPress.tv and its Challenges
00:51:28 Sé Reed's Initial Thoughts on WordPress Community
00:53:15 Discussion on WordPress Governance and Leadership
00:55:10 Sé's Experience
00:57:32 Sé Reed's Concerns about Matt Mullenweg's Leadership
01:00:23 Importance of Open-Source and Community Voice
01:02:12 Challenges Faced by WordPress Marketing Team
01:04:05 Sé's Advocacy and Efforts in the Community
01:06:15 Jason Tucker and Jason Cosper's Insights
01:08:40 Encouragement for Community Involvement
01:13:17 Discord
01:15:41 Outro
#WordPress #Gutenberg #Twitter

Show Notes & Transcript:

https://wpwatercooler.com/wpwatercooler/ep463-not-that-kind-of-block/

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WordPress from Install to Publish. WPwatercooler is a live video and audio roundtable discussion from WordPress professionals from around the industry who offer tips, best practices, and lively debate on how to put the content management system to use. WPwatercooler is part of the WPwatercooler Network Hosted by WordPress developer Jason Tucker, the weekly panel includes the following WP experts as well as over 500 guests since 2012. ∙ Jason Tucker - podcast host, web developer, and IT Director ∙ Sé Reed - web developer, speaker, small business advocate and Internet geek. ∙ Jason Cosper - Sr. Performance Engineer at Liquid Web Feedback for our shows can be provided here: https://www.wpwatercooler.com/feedback/

EP463 - Not that kind of block - WPwatercooler