TheHistoryOf.net

WordPress is the largest open source Content Management System on earth. Over 25 million people worldwide use WordPress to manage their blogs, websites, or online businesses. In fact, WordPress was used to bring you the article you’re reading right now.

When originally brought to life by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little in 2003, Wordpress had fewer than two dozen users. Today, the WordPress community continues to expand across the globe as millions of users share tips, tricks, and templates.

Open Source

WordPress is an open source application, which means there is no charge for downloading, installing, or using the WordPress application. Open source applications can also be modified without the permission of the original software developers, and those modifications can be freely distributed as well.

The WordPress leadership takes open sourcing so seriously that they have created a WordPress “Bill of Rights.” The following four freedoms are, they say, are permanent and irrevocable facets of WordPress:

• The freedom to run the program, for any purpose.
• The freedom to study how the program works, and change it to make it do what you wish.
• The freedom to redistribute.
• The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to others.

In October of 2009, the Open Source CMS Market Share Report showed that WordPress was the most recognizable of any open source content management system on the market, as well as most of the privately owned systems.

This dedication to open sourcing is one of the key reasons that WordPress websites for small businesses are common, since this keeps costs down and options open. and fuels the ever-expanding and evolving community of WordPress users.

Security Vulnerabilities

But it hasn’t all been a field of roses for WordPress.

At the beginning of 2007, as WordPress began its largest period of expansion, a host of security vulnerabilities surrounding the content software emerged. Many web servers hosting the WordPress application were targeted and attacked, and the infiltrators were able to tunnel into these terminals through several holes in the WordPress software.

In May of 2007, studies indicated that nearly 98% of WordPress users will still vulnerable to the attacks that crippled WordPress servers months earlier. Ironically, this was due to the open source nature of the software, since users were still sharing and modifying older versions of WordPress. The greatest strength of the WrodPress brand had become its greatest liability.

Industry leaders were critical of WordPress during this time. WordPress went on to correct many of these issues, but some flaws still remain. Secunia, a leading researcher in online security exploits, reported in April of 2009 that WordPress still contained a minimum of seven potential security exploits that remained unpatched.

Going Forward

Even with the hiccups in security, WordPress is still the strongest and most scalable open source content management software available, and a leading industry innovator. The dedication of WordPress leadership, and the community at large, to produce content delivery software that is robust, simple, scalable, and free of charge far outweigh the relatively minor security concerns.

Further, the ease in use, and the plentiful instruction available that teaches new users how to set-up WordPress sites makes WordPress a smart solution for users of all stripes.

About the Author

Don Campbell is a veteran of MicroSoft and Google, and founded Expand2Web to assist small business owners in creating and marketing websites that use WordPress architecture. Don loves his family, and enjoys the ocean and mountains surrounding his home in the Northern California Bay Area. Don is also learning Jazz piano, and is trying to learn how to skimboard on Wednesday mornings in Capitola.