WordPress.com is actually doing the exact shady things that WP Engine does. Confusing WordPress.org users that they need a paid account to run WordPress.
Sure WP also has some freemium model, but I do not consider that shady.
Have you seen the Automattic CEO talk (link to YT in other comment in this thread). I dont think he's in shady business: he's releasing loads of source code under the GPL!
He’s also using the foundations copyright to target the primary competitor to his for-profit business, demanding that they invest in the profits of the for-profit company, at the expense of the WordPress open-source community. None of this looks altruistic or for the good of wordpress.org.
