There have been plenty of articles on the current WordPress fallout between WP Engine and Automattic (WordPress.org, Automattic, Matt). From legal discussions, explanations, justifications, and so on. At this point, the damage has been done (and continues to be done). Many WordPress community members feel confused, hurt, unsure about the future, angry, and so on.
Furthermore, this issue is now reaching external sources. Larger news outlets, investment sites like yCombinator, and elsewhere are also covering this fallout. The bottom line is that this feud has resulted in a terrible outcome for the WordPress Project, and the two sides that have caused this continue to make it worse.
I’m not going to discuss the issues and arguments on both sides; this has already been done countless times. Instead, I’m just going to say that I, as a community member, am very upset and disappointed with how this has been handled. Paul talks very well about how churches should resolve conflicts; I think this can be applied to resolving conflicts within a community instead of going to outside sources:
If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? 2 Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4 Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? 5 I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? 6 But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!
7 The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters.
1 Corinthians 6:1-8 NIV (BibleGateway)So, to WP Engine and Automattic, you have both been in the wrong in handling this situation. Your combined actions are tearing apart this community, and you both need to find a way to resolve this before the WordPress fallout gets worse. Otherwise, you may destroy everything that is WordPress.