Post #410255

2026-02-25 16:27 UTC

How many people know that #WordPress was co-founded by a black man, Mike Little? Or that he's from the north of England? A self-taught coder from #Stockport, just south of #Manchester? Or that he never received so much as a share, cent or job offer from the $7bn+ valued Automattic after spending five months working exclusively with Matt Mullenweg on the B2 fork? After @bevangelist@social.coop told me about @mikelittle@mastodon.online I interviewed him for a documentary I never got round to making. Back then I was left with two certainties: he's Wozniak to Mullenweg's Jobs. Among other things he added the one-click upgrade that's been central to WP's bonkers 45%-of-the-web-success. And he's one of the nicest people I've ever interviewed, which is also bonkers given that he not only didn't share in WP's financial success, but that he's barely known. But he should be - so, better late than never - please meet #MikeLittle, perhaps the most-influential-least-known person in #foss… https://25.netribution.co.uk/nic/mike-little-the-british-co-founder-of-wordpress-youve-probably-never-heard-of/

Replies (16)

@nicol@social.coop 2026-02-25 19:14

If anyone's struggling with the video embeds on the WordPress site (I am on my phone), there's direct links for both the videos on #PeerTube. If that goes down (and I’ve no reason to think it should) I have got Vimeo links - but 🤞 - Mike Little, Part 1: co-founding WordPress and watching it grow (from afar): https://open.movie/w/hzQjFV6xJF9agsn5ERz4Kz - Mike Little, Part 2: his life in code: https://open.movie/w/rdot9DoygXTXzLM4ZnJjTf

Open ##1631141
@miblo@mas.to 2026-02-25 18:03

@nicol @bevangelist @mikelittle What on Earth? I'm from Stockport too, and sorry to say this is the first time I've heard of you, Mike!

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@izby@mastodon.social 2026-02-25 18:39

@nicol @bevangelist @mikelittle Skin color doesn't matter. And gender too. Just do the right things and be a good person.

Open ##1631149
@phillycodehound@indieweb.social 2026-02-25 18:41

@nicol @bevangelist @mikelittle Mike is a great guy. He doesn't get enough credit. Overshadowed by Mullenweg. Very well spoken and a decent person.

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@kawaiipunk@sunbeam.city 2026-02-25 19:11

@nicol @bevangelist @mikelittle this is awesome!

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@SusiArnott@mastodon.green 2026-02-25 19:34

@nicol @bevangelist @mikelittle Pi g @CrispinHughes - let's watch this together:)

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@ml@social.mitexleo.one 2026-02-25 19:52

@nicol @bevangelist @mikelittle Great Work! I never heard of him before.

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@doug@mastodon.scot 2026-02-25 20:31

@nicol @bevangelist @mikelittle @cstross @nic damn. Had no idea. Nice to see you on here Nic, been many years…!

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@Stefan_S_from_H@mastodon.social 2026-02-25 20:55

@nicol @bevangelist @mikelittle I don't even know the skin color of the other founders.

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@amcewen@mastodon.me.uk 2026-02-25 21:20

@nicol @bevangelist @mikelittle Lovely videos! I did know of @mikelittle but it's great to hear him talking about the project. Also amused to hear an aside about him working for Eden. I interviewed for a job there back in, I think it'll have been, 1996. Had totally forgotten about them.

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@patrick_h_lauke@mastodon.social 2026-02-25 22:38

@nicol i briefly met @mikelittle at a meetup in south manchester MANY moons ago. lovely bloke.

Open ##1631193
@shadowfals@mastodon.otherworldsink.com 2026-02-25 23:27

@nicol @HauntedOwlbear @dianea @bevangelist I didn't know that! @mikelittle Wordpress was my favorite platform or internet service for almost ten years. The changes that happened between then and now were heartbreaking, but those were obviously a result of others' decisions. I would you to know I've been grateful for the good parts through the years.

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@bob@beamship.mpaq.org 2026-02-26 04:09

@nicol @bevangelist @mikelittle Ah, the good ol' iframe virous...

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@m0rpk@mastodon.radio 2026-02-26 08:31

@nicol Thanks for posting this. I knew @mikelittle just a little because he used to pop over the Pennines to tech community meet-ups in Sheffield sometimes, back in the day. Hope you’re doing well, Mike!

Open ##1631196
@qmacro@hachyderm.io 2026-02-26 10:47

@nicol @bevangelist @mikelittle I'm very lucky to know Mike, he is an awesome, gentle and generous human being. I had the pleasure of working alongside Mike at Manchester's MadLab back in the day, teaching kids to code as part of the Young Rewired State events there. What a hero.

Open ##1631197
@jaypeach53@calckeymusic.social 2026-02-27 11:43

@nicol@social.coop @bevangelist@social.coop @mikelittle@mastodon.online and Matt fucked up the curly quotes. Jetpack fucks up curly quotes 100% of the time.

Open ##1724737