https://ma.tt/2021/04/wix-dirty-tricks/ Skip to the content Search Matt Mullenweg Unlucky in Cards Menu * Home * About * Contact * Podcast * Twitter * Let's Work Together Search Search for: [ ] [Search] Close search Close Menu * Home * About * Contact * Podcast * Twitter * Let's Work Together Categories Open Source Wix and Their Dirty Tricks * Post author By Matt * Post date April 7, 2021 * 5 Comments on Wix and Their Dirty Tricks Wix, the website builder company you may remember from stealing WordPress code and lying about it, has now decided the best way to gain relevance is attacking the open source WordPress community in a bizarre set of ads. They can't even come up with original concepts for attack ads, and have tried to rip-off of Apple's Mac vs PC ads, but tastelessly personify the WordPress community as an absent, drunken father in a therapy session. I have a lot of empathy for whoever was forced to work on these ads, including the actors, it must have felt bad working on something that's like Encyclopedia Britannica attacking Wikipedia. WordPress is a global movement of hundreds of thousands of volunteers and community members, coming together to make the web a better place. The code, and everything you put into it, belongs to you, and its open source license ensures that you're in complete control, now and forever. WordPress is free, and also gives you freedom. Wix is a for-profit company with a valuation that peaked at around 20 billion dollars, and whose business model is getting customers to pay more and more every year and making it difficult to leave or get a refund. (Don't take my word for it, look at their investor presentations.) They are so insecure that they are also the only website creator I'm aware of that doesn't allow you to export your content, so they're like a roach motel where you can check in but never check out. Once you buy into their proprietary stack you're locked in, which even their support documentation admits: [IMG_4301-1-1024x723] So if we're comparing website builders to abusive relationships, Wix is one that locks you in the basement and doesn't let you leave. I'm surprised consumer protection agencies haven't gone after them. Philosophically, I believe in open source, and if WordPress isn't a good fit for you there are other great open source communities like Drupal, Joomla, Jekyll, and Typo3. We also have a great relationship with some of our proprietary competitors, and I have huge respect for the teams at Shopify and Squarespace, and even though we compete I've always seen them operate with integrity and I'd recommend them without hesitation. I have to believe that users will care about that in the long run, and maybe that's why Squarespace just passed up Wix in market share. They natively support exporting into WordPress' format and don't have to resort to dirty tricks to be successful. I expect Squarespace's upcoming IPO will be a great one. Wix, though, continues to show their true colors. Regardless of their product, I hope people consider the behavior of companies in the world they support with their dollars. Wix really wants you to see their new campaign though, so let's take the bait and watch the creepy, misleading way they are trying to represent themselves. Share this: * Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) * Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) * Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) * Related --------------------------------------------------------------------- - Doctorow on IP --------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 replies on "Wix and Their Dirty Tricks" [b6a817504fa68c23]dremedasays: April 7, 2021 at 10:49 am Real talk! Reply [67d1d9ab212e3251]Zandysays: April 7, 2021 at 11:42 am Twixy. Reply [d170901d58913a17]Steve Fowlersays: April 7, 2021 at 12:46 pm One thing I learnt from my time at IBM: "the fastest way to appear unprofessional is to disparage your competitors". Reply [0d536ec42f3f7c9a]Theodore Chryssanthidissays: April 7, 2021 at 1:48 pm They are unbelievable !!! So I went on and I wrote them a comment under their YouTube video! Reply [7c6a2da9082294cc]Alvaro Gomez Velascosays: April 7, 2021 at 3:54 pm I kind of like the corduroy jacket with the WordPress logo embroidery un the ads. Maybe we should add it to the swag store. Reply --------------------------------------------------------------------- SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS Cancel reply (c) 2021 Matt Mullenweg Powered by WordPress To the top | Up | Send to Email Address [ ] Your Name [ ] Your Email Address [ ] [ ] loading [Send Email] Cancel Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Email check failed, please try again Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.