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W3C’s web site vendor (Studio24) dropped WordPress from consideration:
https://w3c.studio24.net/updates/weeknotes-11-sept/
WPTavern took issue with it:
https://wptavern.com/w3c-drops-wordpress-from-consideration-for-redesign-narrows-cms-shortlist-to-statamic-and-craft
Studio24 points to Gutenberg:
https://w3c.studio24.net/updates/on-not-choosing-wordpress/
I have some thoughts… [1/7]
https://w3c.studio24.net/updates/weeknotes-11-sept/
WPTavern took issue with it:
https://wptavern.com/w3c-drops-wordpress-from-consideration-for-redesign-narrows-cms-shortlist-to-statamic-and-craft
Studio24 points to Gutenberg:
https://w3c.studio24.net/updates/on-not-choosing-wordpress/
I have some thoughts… [1/7]
[2/7]
WPTavern argues for OSS first to shame, though WP as a whole is not completely OSS (Slack over IRC / MatterMost?).
More importantly, Automattic drove Gutenberg as a business decision, not community decision — Wix / etc. as revenue threats, Automattic assignees as proof.
WPTavern argues for OSS first to shame, though WP as a whole is not completely OSS (Slack over IRC / MatterMost?).
More importantly, Automattic drove Gutenberg as a business decision, not community decision — Wix / etc. as revenue threats, Automattic assignees as proof.
[3/7]
Automattic already signaled accessibility is not a priority — look at Gutenberg’s history (and need to crowdsource an audit). It did not bring its $3 billion bulk to bear to address it, relying on volunteers to drive accessibility efforts.
Automattic already signaled accessibility is not a priority — look at Gutenberg’s history (and need to crowdsource an audit). It did not bring its $3 billion bulk to bear to address it, relying on volunteers to drive accessibility efforts.
[4/7]
Prior behavior predicts future actions, and Automattic has made its position clear.
With common plug-ins (ACF?) eventually being supplanted by Gutenberg features, code written today has a built-in expiration date. Unnecessary and unknown future costs to W3C.
Prior behavior predicts future actions, and Automattic has made its position clear.
With common plug-ins (ACF?) eventually being supplanted by Gutenberg features, code written today has a built-in expiration date. Unnecessary and unknown future costs to W3C.
[5/7]
By using a smaller platform (that does not kick accessibility features to the community to fix), W3C has more leverage to force WCAG / ATAG compliance (in the form of contractual obligations tied to payments).
By using a smaller platform (that does not kick accessibility features to the community to fix), W3C has more leverage to force WCAG / ATAG compliance (in the form of contractual obligations tied to payments).
[6/7]
I may not be a proponent (nor opponent) of Craft CMS, but I think given the known history of Automattic versus the verbalized commitments of Craft CMS, @w3c & @studio24 made the right call.
I may not be a proponent (nor opponent) of Craft CMS, but I think given the known history of Automattic versus the verbalized commitments of Craft CMS, @w3c & @studio24 made the right call.
Related from me that informed my hot take:
“First Reactions to Gutenberg” (2017)
https://adrianroselli.com/2017/06/first-reactions-to-gutenberg.html
“Lessons from Gutenberg” (2018)
https://adrianroselli.com/2018/12/lessons-from-gutenberg.html
“A Model for WordPress Accessibility” (2019)
https://adrianroselli.com/2019/05/a-model-for-wordpress-accessibility.html
[7/7]
“First Reactions to Gutenberg” (2017)
https://adrianroselli.com/2017/06/first-reactions-to-gutenberg.html
“Lessons from Gutenberg” (2018)
https://adrianroselli.com/2018/12/lessons-from-gutenberg.html
“A Model for WordPress Accessibility” (2019)
https://adrianroselli.com/2019/05/a-model-for-wordpress-accessibility.html
[7/7]
[8/7]
@cswordpress has an overview of this Automattic foot-gun:
https://www.customerservant.com/w3c-is-prioritizing-accessibility-over-its-open-source-licensing-preferences-why-is-that-a-bad-thing-again/
So far none of my clients have opted to use Gutenberg, so it is good to get a little insight there too.
@cswordpress has an overview of this Automattic foot-gun:
https://www.customerservant.com/w3c-is-prioritizing-accessibility-over-its-open-source-licensing-preferences-why-is-that-a-bad-thing-again/
So far none of my clients have opted to use Gutenberg, so it is good to get a little insight there too.
