[ Thanks to Jason
Greenwood for these links. ]
eWeek: MySQL AB to Tweak Open-Source License
“MySQL AB’s open-source database license has long confused ISVs
and others who want to support MySQL but aren’t sure whether they
need to purchase a license. To remedy these licensing gray areas,
MySQL is beta testing a new VAR program that will be rolled out at
its user conference in April, officials said.“The program will allow ISVs to cost-effectively license MySQL’s
server. MySQL Vice President of Marketing Zack Urlocker told
eWEEK.com that, eventually, the company is planning to install a
driver that moves the burden of compliance onto customers…”
Wired: MySQL Profits From Open Source
“Zack Urlocker likes to compare his employer’s database software
to a budget airline.“It’s cheap, devoid of luxurious trappings and doesn’t expend
much effort catering to customers’ whims. But if the point is to
reach one’s destination quickly and easily, it’ll do the job.‘We don’t try to be the database that has all the features,’
said Urlocker, vice president of marketing for MySQL AB, the
Swedish maker of an open-source database platform. ‘If someone
needs the advanced grid capabilities, they should buy that from
Oracle…'”