This update marks the re-release of Matomo Analyics, which got renamed Matomo Tracker and Tracker for Matomo. The version number has been bumped up to 1.2 to indicate the name change. No features have been added or changed. The plugin works just as great as before.
The sad story of Matomo
This update brings nothing new to the table. Version 1.0 was pretty much feature complete. But a few tweaks were made in 1.1 and 1.1.1 and so on. When 1.1.3 was about to be released the Matomo team, or rather Mathieu from Matomo, emailed me that the name was wrong and that I should remove any form of branding from the plugin. Citing a ambigious trademark policy on an unlisted page on their website. Note, unlisted page… How could I know.
But fair enough, it’s their name. I skirted legality there, I knew that beforehand. But the lack of a public policy… Their lack of objection a month before… I thought it would be fine.
After some back and forth I changed the name to ‘Tracker for Matomo’ which is legally fine. I replaced the icon and having complied with their wishes went on with my business. Then a few days later they had another list of demands for changes and ultimately when I questioned them for making so much trouble they didn’t respond any more. The last I heard from them was on January 2nd.
Earlier this March they came back, with more ridiculous requests so I told them pretty much to suck it and discontinued the plugin. This kind of hassle is so not worth my time.
If they want to kill the free spirit of WordPress and stifle competition, fine. Go annoy someone else.
A few weeks later they ‘replied’ by having the WordPress review team to close the thing down. This happened last week. When I replied and told them the only reason I discontinued the plugin was because Matomo was being so stingy about everything. The WordPress review team also questioned what the Matomo team was doing. And with some changes and yet another name change the plugin is now back in business.
You can grab a copy here. And enjoy the simplicity the other plugins, especially their own, lack.
https://ajdg.solutions/product/matomo-tracker-for-wordpress/
Name change
So, this means that Matomo Analytics, shortly known as Matomo Tracker and Tracker for Matomo is now AJdG Matomo Tracker. Updates will be provided as needed and despite what Matomo tells you; this name is legal, acceptable and perfectly fine. The plugins function is also fine and offers a great, easy to setup experience for your Matomo installation.
If you want to track your stats without compromise and without features you don’t need. This is the plugin for you!
Team Matomo are a bunch of b*tches
I get that there are rules about copyright, trademarks, laws, and all kinds of annoying policies that are only borderline useful and effective. However, the way this went down left a sour taste.
Mathieu and his Matomo team are a sorry bunch. Over the last few weeks all but 3 (including my own) plugins have disappeared from the Wordpress website. And if they went on their business as they did against me, this is beyond pathetic.
They are destroying all competition citing (to me anyway) mostly irrelevant reasons and causes.
Not only are they being very anticompetitive. This also stifles competition, innovation and the free(ish) spirit of WordPress development.
The questioned why I made a competing plugin stating that their own plugin “is perfectly fine”. If that’s true, that the original product is perfectly fine. why did they release a new 2nd plugin last month. And didn’t we already have Google Analytics? Why does Matomo exist at all… Yea thought so, shame you, hypocrites.
Not Promoting Matomo
A brand that attempts to function like this and feels they are justified with these practises will not get my support, ever. I will not recommend Matomo to anyone unless it benefits my plugin or situation. It’s a shame there is no real alternative at the moment. As it stands now, I would gladly find a similar, but different solution and drop Matomo from my life entirely.
My plugin is nice and simple to use. AJdG Matomo Tracker enables people to use Matomo more easily. It was meant as a gesture to the community to show my support. If anything it helps Matomo to get new users and maybe even paying customers. And this is how they treat me? F*ck them!
Changes for Matomo Tracker 1.2
- Same as 1.1.2
- Re-released as AJdG Matomo Tracker
