Nicol WistreichFeb 25

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 told me about @mikelittle 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/

Show threadSam IzbyFeb 25

@nicol @bevangelist @mikelittle

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

Show threadyour auntifa liza 🇵🇷 🦛 🦦Feb 25

if skin color didn't matter, he would be a multimillionaire.

don't parrot the ignorant moderate white man bullshit.

in a racist societ, the color of our skin matters. to deny this is to side with racists.

instead of negating the racism, the correct thing to do would be to ensure his name is not only forever said BEFORE Muhlenberg’s, but make it your business he gets paid reparations for these sins of omission BY ALL MEANS NECESSARY.

@izby @nicol @bevangelist @mikelittle

Show threadStefan SchollFeb 25
@blogdiva @izby @nicol @bevangelist @mikelittle not everybody lives in the USA.
Show threadccarlson71Feb 25
@Stefan_S_from_H @blogdiva @izby @nicol @bevangelist @mikelittle I’m not sure how to interpret this other than that you think racism is present only in the USA. Surely that’s not the case, though…
Show threadStefan SchollFeb 26
@ccarlson71 @blogdiva @izby @nicol @bevangelist @mikelittle or interpret it as writing something like https://mastodon.social/@izby/116132724713095405 makes people angry in the USA.
Show threadBenjamin BraatzFeb 26
@Stefan_S_from_H Writing ignorant stuff like that makes me angry in Germany. @ccarlson71 @blogdiva @izby
Show threadStefan SchollFeb 26
@HeptaSean @ccarlson71 @blogdiva @izby what’s the goal?
Show threadBenjamin BraatzFeb 26
@Stefan_S_from_H The goal of what? Of mentioning the fact that he is black? Maybe to highlight when someone is not from the traditionally privileged background?
What's the goal of whining about it? Why do the racists' work if not a racist? If you are not interested, you are always free to ignore. @ccarlson71 @blogdiva @izby
Show threadNicol WistreichFeb 26

@izby
@HeptaSean @ccarlson71 @blogdiva
@izby obviously "do the right things and be a good person" is a great principle to live by. But *many* people do that yet still suffer prejudice because of race, gender, sexuality, religion, ethnicity, etc…

The reason I flagged that Mike is black, as well as that he's British, from the north of England, didn't go to university – is because these are things we don't hear about much in tech founders (even if they drop out of Uni, they still go). And maybe they played a part in why no-one's heard about him and he didn't even get a job interview at Automattic.

There is a scandal here. But (maybe bigger) there's also a chance to point out not all tech pioneers are white Americans. I don't know why that seems triggering for you @Stefan_S_from_H?

Trying to counter mainstream narratives isn't to attack white guys, as some racist agitators would try to have you believe (one is trying to get elected today v near where Mike lives). But it needs doing.

Show threadStefan SchollFeb 26

@nicol @izby @HeptaSean @ccarlson71 @blogdiva don't insinuate what's triggering me.

What's triggering me is that people who say, “Skin color doesn't matter. And gender too.” get attacked and met with hate.

If someone doesn't see a skin color as a negative, this person is on your side. And pushing people away isn't helpful.

Show threadNicol WistreichFeb 26

@Stefan_S_from_H @izby @HeptaSean @ccarlson71 @blogdiva

suggested correction:

"What's triggering me is that *WHITE MEN* who say, “Skin color doesn't matter. And gender too.” get attacked and met with hate."

Can you imagine a Brit at the height of the British Empire going around India saying 'nationality doesn't matter'?

Still, I'm not attacking you and have no hate for you. You started this by making a post here - https://mastodon.social/@Stefan_S_from_H/116133261766805256 - a statement which makes no sense other than you objected to me mentioning Mike is black (among other things about him, like where he lives and what his education status is). Maybe you didn't object to me saying that, and just randomly tell strangers what you know and don't know, in which case, sorry to have misinterpreted you.

Show threadStefan SchollFeb 26

@nicol @izby @HeptaSean @ccarlson71 @blogdiva You started with “How many people know that #WordPress was co-founded by a black man, Mike Little?”

I answered the question. A question that sounded a bit like an accusation.

Show threadNicol Wistreich

@Stefan_S_from_H goodness no - nothing accusatory meant or implied. The whole point of this story is that (almost) no-one knows who he is. Those who know WordPress (my intended audience) think of it as having one founder - a white moustached Texan, Matt Mullenweg. He’s seen as the ‘founder’ like Zuckerberg is linked to Facebook.

Adding extra info (black, British, Stopfordian) helps establish (to them) I’m not talking about Mullenweg. The British and Stockport part isn’t so interesting to anyone not from there, hence ‘black’. In the interview I don’t talk to Mike about his experience of racism so I don’t say more than questioning if it’s a factor (of several) in his lack of fame or wealth - a fair question that I can’t answer. If I would accuse anyone it’s the companies who’ve made a fortune from his work, and the computing / British establishment for not championing him more. But even then, Mike doesn’t seem to carry anger so it seems wrong for me to add my own on top.

Feb 26 at 7:59pmWeb