“The remarkable thing about the Oracle – MySQL case is that it
forces us to put up or shut up in a realistic, fact-based way not
clad in ideological robes. Whatever your opinions, you now have a
test case against which to apply them. In the past, I decried the
software freedom debate as much ado about nothing – the 21st
century equivalent of how many angels can dance on the head of a
pin. But now we see it in real-world terms where something tangible
is at stake. This is no longer a case of visionary hippies vs.
business pragmatists engaging in religious combat with no
consequences or outcomes. This is now a battle with winners and
losers, and in the case of dual-licensed projects, the communities
of said projects could very well end up the losers.”