Remember all those chapters of legal mumbo jumbo you had to click-thru just get on with your day?

You may not consider yourself an affiliate but if the lawyers decide you are a teapot then you are either a teapot or were very rich.

I would say, no. Matt Mullenweg says, ask your lawyer.

If only he'd said no as well - not doing so seems petty.

The author (and myself, coincidentally) used to work at WP Engine. I still have friends there, I could still describe their infrastructure if I had to. How am I not to interpret myself as "affiliated?"