Some thoughts on MySQL and Oracle [LWN.net]

Some thoughts on MySQL and Oracle

Posted Dec 15, 2009 19:31 UTC (Tue) by rahvin (guest, #16953)
In reply to: Some thoughts on MySQL and Oracle by bangert
Parent article: Some thoughts on MySQL and Oracle

If what you say were true Widenius and Mueller wouldn't be petitioning the EU to force Oracle to relicense the MySQL code to the Apache or BSD license. They want the company back without paying back the money they were paid.

Besides, when Monty lied (about requesting the license change) and Groklaw exposed it he lost all credibility on the matter IMO. His current MariaDB AB company is reselling MySQL currently, he just wants the ability back to sell commercial non-GPL licensees because it was more lucrative than trying to compete by supporting GPL code.

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Some thoughts on MySQL and Oracle

Posted Dec 15, 2009 19:52 UTC (Tue) by bangert (subscriber, #28342) [Link] (1 responses)

That doesnt make any sense. If MySQL were to be relicensed as Apache or BSD that would be
even better for FLOSS and anybody would be able to issue proprietary licenses...

I fail to see, how you that can be a bad thing for FLOSS.

Some thoughts on MySQL and Oracle

Posted Dec 22, 2009 2:55 UTC (Tue) by foom (subscriber, #14868) [Link]

The scenario envisioned is that Monty Program AB wants MySQL force-relicensed under the BSD
license, so that they can take that code, add their own changes (MariaDB), and release that
combination under a proprietary or proprietary/GPL license (like MySQL was before).

If that's what they want, Monty has essentially stolen $13Million from Sun/Oracle, as he sold them
his company, including the copyright to MySQL, and this move would basically be giving it back to
him, for free.

It's not bad for FLOSS, but it's not particularly good either.