[wp-hackers] This was painful to read...

[Mike Schinkel]

On Nov 28, 2009, at 7:21 AM, Thomas Belknap wrote:
> I can get behind the URL routing issues. I can get behind supporting
> slightly more abstraction to the data structure of WordPress for the sake of
> greater flexibility. But it *is* WORDpress, not PDFpress or EvaluationPress.
> The assumption has always been that WordPress is a blog - or if you prefer
> not to use that term, a "self publication tool." - not a CMS.

But Wordpress has come so far and has so many benefits for those who use it that it's a shame so many in the community want to limit its vision to always being "only a blog."  A damn shame, because it could easily be so much more.

> For those
> willing to put a bunch of extra work into building a full-fledged CMS out of
> WP, I say good luck. But I prefer my tools to be good at what they do, not
> half-assed for the sake of being like other software that is already out
> there in an already saturated market.

I don't see WordPress as being half-assed if it were to add URL routing and custom post types; I would see it as a platform that has over 3000 custom extensions and probably as many off-the-shelf custom themes. I see it as the platform most likely to succeed if it were not held back by a too-narrow vision.

> WordPress installs easy, sets up fast and is hugely flexible for those
> looking to publish their words on the Internet. Those who think the same is
> true for Drupal have forgotten what it's like not to know how to do what we
> do here.

The irony is that you say "Wordpress is just a blog" and then criticize Drupal for being too complex.  Wordpress could easily match Drupal's core differentiator (custom post types) and not be as complex as Drupal.

> This ease of use factor is what gives WP it's market share.
> Changing it will doubtless have the opposite effect.

That changing Wordpress will cause it to loose market share or even ease of use is an assertion based in little more than an invalid assumption.  I've developed both modules and plugins for Drupal and Wordpress respectively and it's their architectures that divide them, not their features.  

Wordpress could easily add custom post types (and custom URLs to support) without increasing the architectural complexity.  What's more, it could continue to be as easy to use for the average person, it would just have more headroom for those more advanced.

-Mike Schinkel