Where Does WordPress Go From Here?

[Elpie]

You know, I was thinking about this some more and wonder if the future of WordPress isn't with a software package at all. With auto updates and so many features being thrown into the mix, maybe its future lies with software as a service?

[chipbennett]

You know, I was thinking about this some more and wonder if the future of WordPress isn't with a software package at all. With auto updates and so many features being thrown into the mix, maybe its future lies with software as a service?

I certainly hope not. SaaS = someone else in control of my software.

[wycks]

One thing I really notice is that a lot of people use WordPress as a CMS ( myself included). You just have to look at the commercial theme makers or theme markets and see that a ton of the top sellers are not blog centric, in a way these themes are driving that market, it's simply more profitable and in demand.

This brings up some difficulties with the actual platform since it lacks some tools in regards to organizing content outside the loop, media management and user roles.

I think WordPress has reached a "blog" plateau, the last release related to tumblr's features, what else can a blog possibly have.

The question is, for me at least, will WordPress start to take a path towards a more fully featured CMS, since this decision would be quite the change from it's core roots and culture.

ps. I also think the code needs a tune up, especially with regards to performance and legacy ( for instance Drupal 7 launched with PDO support).

[Elpie]

I certainly hope not. SaaS = someone else in control of my software.

If you use auto updates you already have someone else in control of your software

If core, theme & plugin auto updates are enabled then its a very small step towards SaaS. At the moment I think its fair to say that WordPress is walking a fine line between being a downloadable app and SaaS.

[Jeffro]

Once auto updates are added to the core of WordPress, it will again be interesting to see what sort of opt-out procedures they allow either by user facing options or hooks or perhaps a define within the wp-config file.

I sure hope that users are even provided the opportunity to say no to auto upgrades. If not, and it gets forced down our throats, I'll be very disappointed.

[Ryan]

I sure hope that users are even provided the opportunity to say no to auto upgrades. If not, and it gets forced down our throats, I'll be very disappointed.

I suspect it would work like other software such as Firefox does, rather than say Google Chrome.

Google Chrome updates regardless of whether you want it to or not; I don't think there's anyway to block it. Firefox on the other hand prompts you to click the "upgrade button" when you load it but also provides the option to not upgrade.

So my assumption, is that the next step will be that when you visit your site whilst logged in (either front end or back end) that you will prompted with a big fat "UPGRADE" button and there would be a smaller "cancel" button so that you can continue on the old version if you really wanted to.

This is based on nothing more than my own assumptions of what the core team will decide.


I imagine each WordPress installation will email the site owner, prompting to the update their site too. That way site owners who don't visit their admin panel regularly can be automagically alerted that they need to upgrade. I'm surprised that's not already in core actually ... seems like a simple addition to make.

[chipbennett]

If you use auto updates you already have someone else in control of your software

If core, theme & plugin auto updates are enabled then its a very small step towards SaaS. At the moment I think its fair to say that WordPress is walking a fine line between being a downloadable app and SaaS.

But, *I* control when/if core updates. *I* control what Themes are installed, and when/if they update. *I* control what Plugins are installed, and when/if they update.

Also: I retain the ability to distribute the core code, modified or unmodified.

If the project went entirely SaaS, none of those things would be true any longer.