Re: [HACKERS] SAP and MySQL ... [and Benchmark]

On Mon, 9 Jun 2003, Ian Linwood wrote:

> Hello Jan,
>
> Friday, June 6, 2003, 9:12:24 PM, you wrote:
>
> > I think Open Source means more than that. It means especially Open for
> > ideas, open for input. Open for people and companies to join the team,
> > contribute and take part in the decision making. That all is totally
> > impossible in the MySQL project. Not because it could not be done, but
> > because the owner of the commercial product MySQL does not want it to
> > happen.
>
> Although this is an entirely valid opinion. I don't 100% agree with
> this point of view.
>
> Just because a project is open source (OS), doesn't mean that all and
> sundry should have an input.

While I agree with you on this point, the real issue behind MySQL is that
the native connection library is GPL (not LGPL) so that IF you link your
software to MySQL's connection library, you either have to GPL your own
commercial code or buy a commercial MySQL license.

In order to maintain this setup, MySQL requires that anyone who donates
code sign over their copyright to MySQL AB. MySQL AB then uses that same
code someone else wrote to make money by selling the commercial licensed
version.

So, in my opinion, MySQL is GPL in name only. Until someone else forks it
and maintains it as a pure GPL product, I'll avoid it.