After the Internet went crazy over the release of Wordpress 2.3 and with Wordpress 2.4 already on the horizon, plus the scandal that came to light about certain issues as the new release, codenamed Dexter, spying on it’s users; individuals have hit backs with claims such as Matt Mullenweg’s:
As mentioned in our release announcement, the update notification sends your blog URL, plugins, and version info when it checks api.wordpress.org for new and compatible updates. It does not include $_SERVER dumps, or any settings beyond version numbers (for checking compatibility), or your blog name, or your credit card number. We do provide a way of disabling this feature; in fact I link to one of the plugins in the release announcement and in my original response to Morty’s thread.
But it’s not all bad news - some things apparently went right with Wordpress 2.3. This isn’t the first scandal to rock Wordpress. It was previously found that Wordpress ‘intentionally violated Google Adwords TOS to make money‘. This article also just goes to show that even sometimes developers cross the line.
If you’re one of the many who are paranoid about sharing their information, then I suggest grabbing the 2 following plugins: Disable Wordpress version check and Disable Wordpress plugin updates. But don’t think Matt Mullenweg is the bad guy in this situation - some credit must go out to him for linking these plugins in his original posts elsewhere around the internet. If you’re simply fed up with Wordpress and this is the final straw - consider 9 Wordpress alternatives.
I didn’t write this article with the intention of flaming anybody or provoking an argument - I simply want to generate some discussion on the matter.
Your thoughts in the comments.
Technorati Tags: wordpress 2.3, matt mullenweg
Frankly, api.wordpress.org is welcome to all my version information. Really. Please help yourself.
They are taking just a little weight from my shoulders and helping me make sure my blog software is current.
I think the uproar is a tempest in a teapot. Much ado about nothing.
Just my 2 cents worth. I might be wrong….but I don’t think so.
Hi Rob,
Your views on this issue are definitely a matter of opinion and I’m not going to deny you that.
Wordpress has said that the data is going to be used for statistics purposes and whatnot and frankly, I don’t mind either.
The thing I don’t understand is why this wasn’t announced before the release and if so, why a tool was not included with Wordpress itself to disable it. It shouldn’t be up to Plugin developers to pick up the pieces and do something the Wordpress devs should have done themselves in the first place.
I think the version checking is a great idea. However I would prefer more transparency regarding the information sent from my site. i.e. In the admin control panel, there should be a “window” with the exact information going out, plus when it last went out.
At the same time, it shouldn’t require a plugin to disable this privacy choice. It should be a function/feature built in to the c/panel, so you can choose specifically what goes in our out.