WordPress 6.9 Preview, Opensource Funding Debate, and Community Challenges | WP More — Issue 28
New features coming, funding discussions heat up, and WordCamp scheduling woes
Hello, my lovely WordPressers,
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Welcome to this month’s WPMore newsletter issue 28,
WordPress is buzzing with activity this week. From exciting new features in the upcoming 6.9 release to heated debates about funding and community sustainability, a lot is happening that affects every WordPress user. Let’s dive into what’s shaping the platform and community you rely on.
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This First Published Here — https://wpmore.substack.com/p/issue-28
In this Issue:
- WordPress 6.9 brings hidden blocks, simplified editing, and expanded command palette features
- Drupal founder argues governments should fund open source projects like public infrastructure
- WordCamp 2026 schedule creates a coordination nightmare with three flagship events in 4.5 months
- Nick Hamze’s post reignites the debate about WordPress losing its “cool factor” to newer platforms
- WordPress Foundation seeks mentors for university student contribution program
WordPress 6.9 Brings Hidden Blocks and Simplified Editing
WordPress 6.9 is shaping up to be a significant release, with several features designed to make your editing experience smoother. The ability to hide blocks is nearly ready, giving you better control over what appears in your content. The command palette is expanding beyond the editor to work across your entire dashboard, making it faster to navigate your site’s admin area.
Block commenting is getting refined with bug fixes and improved accessibility, while new experimental blocks like accordion, breadcrumbs, and tabs are being tested. Perhaps most interesting is the work on simplified site editing, which aims to reduce the overwhelming nature of the current site editor through either toggle modes or making patterns content-focused by default.
Open Source Needs Government Funding, Drupal Founder Argues
Dries Buytaert, founder of Drupal, is making waves with his call for governments to fund open source projects like public infrastructure. His argument centers on a striking statistic: replacing the most widely used open source software would cost $8.8 trillion, yet 96% of that value depends on just 5% of contributors.
Buytaert points out that governments worldwide rely heavily on open source software but contribute little back. The European Commission runs over 100 Drupal sites, France operates more than 1,000, yet most provide minimal upstream support. He proposes that governments track the health of critical projects, commit to long-term funding, and require vendor contributions in procurement contracts.
- A small group of maintainers supports infrastructure used by millions
- Government agencies use open source extensively but rarely contribute back
- Public funding could stabilize critical projects at relatively low cost
This debate has direct implications for WordPress users, as the platform faces similar sustainability challenges with its vast ecosystem of plugins and themes.
Read Dries Buytaert’s Blog “Funding Open Source like public infrastructure” Here.
WordCamp 2026 Schedule Creates Coordination Nightmare
The WordPress community is grappling with a scheduling problem that could impact everyone who attends conferences or works for companies that sponsor them. All three flagship WordCamps — Asia, Europe, and US — are crammed into just 4.5 months in 2026, creating logistical headaches for organizers, sponsors, and attendees.
Taco Verdonschot breaks down why this matters: organizing a flagship WordCamp takes 9–12 months of work, major venues need to be booked years in advance, and the compressed schedule puts enormous pressure on everyone involved. WordCamp US 2026 in Phoenix during August presents additional challenges with extreme heat and vacation season timing.
The financial impact is significant too. Companies that normally sponsor all three events may have to choose just one or two, potentially leaving organizers scrambling for funding. Individual attendees face the prospect of spending thousands of dollars in a few months if they want to attend multiple events.
- Tight scheduling makes planning exponentially harder for volunteers
- Sponsors may skip events due to budget and logistics constraints
- Summer timing in Phoenix could reduce attendance significantly
This scheduling squeeze highlights the growing pains of WordPress’s global community and the need for better long-term planning.
WordPress’s “Cool Factor” Problem Gets Fresh Attention
WordPress’s “Cool Factor” Problem Gets Fresh Attention
Nick Hamze has reignited discussion about WordPress’s image problem with a post arguing the platform has “lost the cool kids” to newer tools like Webflow and Framer. His critique focuses on perception rather than technical capability, noting that while WordPress powers much of the web, it’s often seen as “legacy” in design circles.
The post struck a nerve, earning a repost from Matt Mullenweg and drawing responses from across the community. Mike McAlister from Ollie even offered to redesign WordPress.org to give it a more modern, confident feel. Joost de Valk from Yoast agreed with the assessment but argued the project needs an empowered marketing team and better product direction.
Read Nick Hamze’s “Why WordPress Lost the Cool Kids (And How to Win Them Back)” blog Here.
Read Joost de Valk’s “Should WordPress have a product and a marketing team?” blog here.
Read the full report on The Repository Here.
Other reports from The Repository you might like to read:
- WordPress Project Launches New Experimental Core Program Team
- Court Dismisses Antitrust and Extortion Claims in WP Engine v Automattic, Allows Other Counts to Proceed
- WordPress Campus Connect Quickly Growing With Global Events, Student Clubs and Scholarships
- WP Includes Is Helping Women Level Up Their Careers in WordPress — and Applications Are Now Open
Don’t forget to subscribe & support them, they do some amazing hard-hitting WordPress journalism.
WordPress Foundation Seeks Mentors for Student Program
The WordPress Foundation is looking for experienced community members to mentor university students through its WordPress Credits program. This educational initiative connects students with real-world open source contribution opportunities over 13–18 weeks, requiring mentors to commit 2 hours per week.
Mentors will guide up to 5 students each, helping them navigate WordPress contribution processes and develop professional skills. The program aims to bridge the gap between academic learning and practical experience while building the next generation of WordPress contributors.
The foundation is building a global pool of mentors to match with students as more universities join the program. Currently, only a limited number of institutions participate, but expansion is planned.
- Commitment is 2 hours per week for 13–18 weeks
- Mentors guide students through real contribution projects
- Program helps develop the next wave of WordPress contributors
This mentorship opportunity represents a chance to give back to the community while helping shape WordPress’s future through new talent development.
On other WordPress News
→ The stepping away of a team member (make.wordpress.org)
→ Two-Factor Authentication is Required for All People With the Capabilities to Publish Here, on make/core (make.wordpress.org)
→ Ryan Logan and Derek Ashauer launched changelogwp.com to serve as the #1 resource for changelogs within the WordPress ecosystem. (changelogwp.com)
→ Announcing the Winners of the Summer Photo Contest (events.wordpress.org)
→ Summary, Dev Chat, September 24, 2025 (make.wordpress.org)
→ Core-AI Contributor Check-in September, 24 2025 (make.wordpress.org)
→ The 5 Best Things About WordCamp US 2025 (wordpress.com)
→ Core Committer Meeting notes from WordCamp US 2025
→ WordPress Security Stats 2025 — Melapress Security Survey Results (melapress.com)
→ New FAIR 1.0 Release Brings Decentralized Package Management to WordPress (therepository.email)
→ Enqueue Reveals Speaker Line-Up With Focus on AI, Performance, and the Future of WordPress (therepository.email)
→ Fueled Layoffs Spark Tension After Former Employee Pre-Empts Announcement (therepository.email)
→ WordPress Accessibility Day 2025 will be held on October 15–16, featuring 24 talks over 24 hours. (2025.wpaccessibility.day)
From WordPress Community
→ WordCamp Organizer Guide: Lessons I Learned (The Hard Way) (leokoo.com)
→ Something Has to Change with WordPress. FAIR is a Great Start. (carriedils.com)
→ The $8.8 Trillion Wake-Up Call: Notes from Open Source Summit NA 2025 (rogerwilliamsmedia.com)
→ Planes & Determination: A Disabled Traveler’s Journey Through Chaos (underrepresentedintech.com)
→ Why Sponsoring WordPress Content Creators is a Win for Your Brand (thewpminute.com)
→ The web isn’t URL-shaped anymore (jonoalderson.com)
→ Why Plugin, Theme & Addon Authors Should Join A Vulnerability Disclosure Program (wpbakery.com)
→ HeroPress at WordCamp US 2025! (heropress.com)
→ PODCAST:“Are there WordPress Echo Chambers” with Imran Siddiq (youtube.com)
→ It’s Always About Authenticity (remkusdevries.com)
→ Rich Tabor argues “WordPress doesn’t need a traditional marketing team.” (X.com)
What’s Your Thought?
Whether it’s technical improvements, funding sustainability, or community coordination, the decisions made now will shape WordPress for years to come. What do you think about these developments?
Hit reply and share your thoughts.
Nishat, WPMore
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