When Oracle bought MySQL and dropped the ball, Monty Widenius et al. forked the database code and started MariaDB. It’s been improving and seeing releases since, but today brought the exciting news that a new foundation has been formed to defend the GPL, organize developmental, and manage the release process.
In a blog post today Michael ‘Monty’ Widenius, David Axmark, and Allan Larsson announced the MariaDB Foundation and said that 1 Million Euros has been raised to do it. In fact, board elections will be as soon as February.