NYCPHP Meetup

[Mitch Pirtle]

Hans Zaunere wrote:

> Selling a commercial app that uses MySQL is no problem. However, to
>
>distribute MySQL itself, a license or participation in the VAR program
>is required.  This is true for both client libs and the server itself.
>
>The exception to this is if the application is GPL.  If the application
>is publicly released under the GPL, then the GPL version of MySQL can be
>distributed with it.  This, however, isn't generally an issue, since
>most applications don't bundle a database.
>  
>

This is what concerns me long term, as apps that appear open source on 
the surface are actually some sort of hybrid shareware/proprietary mix.

Not to sound like Stallman, but if it ain't GPL/LGPL, then it ain't Open 
Source(TM).  And if it ain't really free (as in free speech, not just 
free beer) then it should not try to appear like it is.  This may not be 
MySQL's fault, but is definitely a critical factor that businesses 
wishing to leverage open source technologies should be aware of.

If I feel like writing my own CMS, and at the end (say, a year later) 
decide to sell it - then I am now at the mercy of MySQL's licensing 
scheme instead of my own.  That's not freedom.  And if someone sells a 
commercial product that requires your application, then you should have 
an opportunity for paid support as a result.  Why complicate licensing 
when the revenue would be better on the support side?

And although I am a PostgreSQL bigot, this is not a dig at MySQL - many 
other 'open source-like' projects are also taking this disturbing stance.

-- Mitch