I decided to investigate WordPress.org as a leader in technological innovation within the domain of Information Technology. WordPress was launched on May 27, 2003, by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little, after its predecessor named “B2/cafelog” by Michel Valdrighi suddenly and mysteriously became unsupported. For a complete history and an awesome read go HERE.
WordPress.org is supported by the WordPress Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with the mission to democratize publishing through open source software . Their core business model is to ensure free access to the software projects they support in perpetuity, protecting the WordPress trademark and ensuring the source code survives beyond current contributors. The WordPress software itself is completely free to download and use. Users have complete control over their websites and data. The software is distributed under the GPL (General Public License). Although the foundation protects the original source code, it is open source, meaning users can study, change, and distribute the software.
“When most people hear that WordPress software is free, they assume that it means it doesn’t cost anything to use when in fact, the free refers to users’ freedoms, as in freedom of speech not free beer or pizza for example. Open source, on the other hand, means you are free to modify and redistribute the source code under certain conditions.”(namecheap)
Intrinsically innovation is baked into WordPress because of the large contributor base. For this reason, I consider WordPress to be particularly effective at technological innovation.
I used the keyword “labs” at WordPress.org and found innovation projects in real-time.
See them HERE. Business practices such as these have contributed to the organization’s innovation. Is innovation primarily a result of the creativity of a few individuals? No. The support of technological innovation within WordPress is through the foundation. “The point of the foundation is to ensure free access, in perpetuity, to the software projects we support. People and businesses may come and go, so it is important to ensure that the source code for these projects will survive beyond the current contributor base, that we may create a stable platform for web publishing for generations to come.” (WordPress Foundation).
As a web designer, I found the history and the core value of innovation within WordPress fascinating and pertinent to my business. I use WordPress.
Interesting Fact:
“Hello Dolly, This is not just a plugin, it symbolizes the hope and enthusiasm of an entire generation summed up in two words sung most famously by Louis Armstrong: Hello, Dolly. When activated, you will randomly see a lyric from “Hello, Dolly” in the upper right of your admin screen on every page.”
Matt Mullenweg
https://www.namecheap.com/wordpress/history-of-wordpress/
https://wordpress.org/search/%22labs%22/
https://wordpressfoundation.org/
