Trust in Technology: A Fairy Tale of Open-Source

Once upon a time, in a vast kingdom of technology, there were many different villages—each filled with magical tools that helped the people live better lives.

Most of the villagers didn’t think too much about who ran these magical villages. They were just happy to have enchanted tools that made their daily tasks easier.

But in one mighty village, called WordPress, something stirred—a conflict that unsettled the villagers. They wondered: is this village really for the community? Or were they all being controlled by a single wizard with his own agenda?

Some wondered if the once benevolent wizard had lost his mind.

For many, this uncertainty led to stress and confusion.

But here’s the thing: understanding how these enchanted villages work—and who’s truly in control—can help us decide where we want to invest our time and trust for the future.

Why Trust is the Backbone of Open-Source Magic

In the land of open-source, the magic was meant to be shared by all. People from every corner of the kingdom came together to build spells and tools that anyone could use.

WordPress began with that very idea—creating a village where everyone could come, use the magic, and add to it. Over the years, it grew to become one of the most powerful villages in the kingdom.

But as the village grew, questions about who held the real power started to arise. Tensions made even the big guilds in the village wonder who was really pulling the strings.

When the mighty wizard put his own interests above the community, the foundation of trust that held the village together began to crumble.

The WordPress Drama: The Wizard’s Conflict

So, what caused the stir? It all started when the head wizard of WordPress, a man named Matt, got into a public quarrel with WP Engine, one of the biggest guilds in the village.

The twist? WP Engine was competing with Matt’s own guild, Automattic. This made many wonder whether the head wizard was truly looking out for the village or just for his own guild. Some even dared to suggest that he wasn’t in it for the guild at all, but rather for the gold.

Then came the shock: the enchanted library of WordPress.org—which the villagers thought belonged to everyone—was revealed to be the wizard’s “personal library.”

This revelation shook the community’s trust. Had Matt secretly enslaved them all?

They’d all been working hard to build and add to the library. But now Matt said that everything in it was his. And he had an edict and guard dogs to back him in this proclamation.

This made the villagers, and their guilds, question whether they could continue to trust the magic. WordPress suddenly didn’t feel like a safe place to live.

When Big Guilds Step In to Protect the Magic

This wasn’t the first time such a thing had happened in the kingdom. In another village called Elastic, the leaders changed the rules of how their magic could be used, mostly because they were mad one particular guild, named Amazon, was getting very powerful by using the knowledge of their village.

Seeing this, the mighty Amazon guild took the magic and created a new version called OpenSearch, ensuring that the villagers (and mighty Amazon) could continue using it without fear of sudden changes.

That’s only one example of why big guilds sometimes step in to protect the magic. They want to make sure it stays open and accessible—not just for themselves, but for everyone.

Okay, so mostly they just want the magic they use to be safe.

The fear here is what the villagers call a “rug pull”—when those in power suddenly pull the magic away, leaving everyone sitting in the dirt.

When powerful wizards prioritize their own gain over the community, it feels like the rug is being pulled out from under everyone, breaking the trust that once bound them.

How Loss of Trust Changes Our Choices

When conflicts like this happen, it raises an important question: Who holds the wand? Who gets to make the rules?

If it seems like one wizard or guild has too much control, villagers become uneasy. A lack of transparency can push people away from the village. The villagers may seek other places to live and work their magic.

Many have already left WordPress.

Trust is fragile—once it’s gone, villagers will move.

And some will take bits of the magic with them.

The Balance Between Community and Personal Gain

Open-source villages thrive because people build them for everyone. Trust is the real magic that holds them together. Trust must favor the community rather than private interests.

If the head wizards forget this, the entire village is at risk of collapse.

For those in charge of these magical villages, the lesson is simple: be transparent. Don’t mix personal gain with what’s best for the community.

How to Find Villages You Can Trust

If you want to find a village where you can live and work your magic with confidence, here are a few things to look for:

– Clear, open rules: Make sure the village has transparent policies about who controls the magic and how decisions are made. Occasionally, you may need to make sure the rules haven’t changed.

– Community-first leaders: Do the head wizards seem to care about the villagers and their needs?

– Beware of controversies: If there’s too much drama or secrecy, it might be time to pack up and find a new village.

When trust is at stake, even the biggest guilds will create new versions of the magic—like Amazon did with OpenSearch—to protect the community.

If WordPress continues down this path, it may face the same fate, with new villages springing up to preserve open-source ideals.

Some villagers may even make a more drastic choice. Facing enslavement wherever they turn, they may choose to swear fealty to Saas (service at a subscription) lords willingly, hoping for a more benevolent servitude. They hope that by monthly sacrifice to these mighty rulers they can find peace.

Trust is the Real Magic

Trust in technology is not just about how well the magic works today—it’s about whether the wizards behind it respect the villagers in the long run.

When trust falls apart, it’s the community—the people who contribute to and rely on the magic—that suffers the most.

So, when you choose your enchanted tools, remember: the people and values behind the magic are just as important as the magic itself.

Trust is the real magic that keeps our villages thriving—not just for today, but for generations to come.

Resources

• Concerns voiced by larger companies using with WordPress
• Concerns voiced by the core contributor to WordPress
• A previous blog about Trust

Images created in MidJourney by Deleyna.