MySQL Server is Open Source, even Backup extensions
As reported yesterday from CommunityOne:
- MySQL Server is and will always remain fully functional and open source,
- so will the MySQL Connectors, and
- so will the main storage engines we ship.
In addition:
- MySQL 6.0’s pending backup functionality will be open source,
- the MyISAM driver for MySQL Backup will be open source, and
- the encryption and compression backup features will be open source,
where the last item is a change of direction from what we were considering before.
The change comes from MySQL now being part of Sun Microsystems. Our initial plans were made for a company considering an IPO, but made less sense in the context of Sun, a large company with a whole family of complementary open source software and hardware products.
I’d like to shed some light on the big picture, in two different ways — openness, and the business model.
MySQL’s openness manifests itself in three ways:
- MySQL’s code is open.
- MySQL’s APIs are open.
- MySQL’s data formats are open.
These form a foundation around the MySQL Server and its connectors on which we (Sun), our partners, and the community can all freely build upon. And through this openness, we will always provide a means for our users to easily export their data from MySQL.
Then for MySQL’s business model. To financially support MySQL’s free and open source platform, we have a business model which allows both community and commercial add-ons, and we remain committed to it. We believe the model to be useful for both those who spend money to save time, and those who spend time to save money.
As Mårten mentioned yesterday in the CommunityOne panel, expect Sun/MySQL to continue experimenting with the business model, and with what’s offered for the community and what’s offered commercial-only. We won’t always know the right answer from the beginning, but we want MySQL to be the most popular database for both paying and non-paying users.
May 6th, 2008 at 21:01
Hi Kai,
Personally, I think this is great news!!!
Is there any particular reason for the gist of the initial announcement being reverted? Was it for example because of the quite massive negative receivement of the news in blogs, or is there another business reason for not venturing here?
May 6th, 2008 at 22:20
Nice news: MySQL is used by so many sites that this decision represents a strong move to keep net freedom !
May 6th, 2008 at 22:29
The MySQL rainbow shines brighter than ever!!!
May 6th, 2008 at 22:58
Fool me once, shame on me. Sun’s concept of open source and the rest of the planet’s differs quite a bit. Between that and their shifting sands schizophrenic management, it’s hard to know where they stand.
So, if you ever do grep the GPL or anything like it(no, really like it)- please understand what IBM figured out 10 years ago.
It’s the SERVICES stupid!
The end.
May 6th, 2008 at 23:43
I think many are still sceptic
however for me, the one aspect which I find logical was this:
“Our initial plans were made for a company considering an IPO”
And I think everyone will agree that a big company like Sun simply has other needs (and thus another agenda) than a much smaller “standalone” one.
May 7th, 2008 at 1:39
A critical part of MySQL remains closed-source, the documentation. A program like MySQL is not much good without documentation, so this means that even though the MySQL code is open the MySQL software cannot be forked. So users remain at the mercy of the MySQL owners.
May 7th, 2008 at 7:17
Kaj,
Thanks for commenting on this decision–and for the decision itself.
I’m continually impressed by the candor and direct nature of comments by MySQL’s top brass. You’re an example of how leaders from more companies should act and speak. Thank you.
I wish you the best.
May 7th, 2008 at 8:03
Good move on your end, I see it as the right one. Was a bit worried in the beginning of the merger with Sun, but things seem to be clearing up.
Thanks for clearing up the recent buzz.
May 7th, 2008 at 8:36
Mechanism, not Policy…
Das X-Window-System ist nun 24 Jahre alt und immer noch die Grundlage jeder grafischen Benutzungsoberfläche in Unix und Linux (mit Ausnahme der Spalter von Apple). Das ist so, weil einer der Grundsätze von X11 war Provide mechanism rather than poli…
May 7th, 2008 at 9:22
Not much to say, just
MANY MANY THANKS to mySQL and SUN !!!
May 7th, 2008 at 9:35
MySQL kodu tomēr ciet nevēršot…
Sun tomēr nav prātu zaudējuši un ir likuši MySQL AB apdomāties, kā rezultātā pretēji iepriekš plānotajam, MySQL kodu ciet nevēršot. Tas priecē!…
May 7th, 2008 at 9:51
MySQL kodu tomēr ciet nevēršot…
Sun tomēr nav prātu zaudējuši un ir likuši MySQL AB apdomāties, kā rezultātā pretēji iepriekš plānotajam, MySQL kodu ciet nevēršot. Tas priecē!Birkas: atvērtais kods, mysql, sun. Šis ieraksts ir pārpublicēts nekur.lv …
May 7th, 2008 at 10:26
I believe I speak for the whole open source community and all of the businesses that build on the MySQL RDBMS when I say that I appreciate everything MySQL does for us. Thanks for all your hard work and keeping it open!
May 7th, 2008 at 10:27
Excelent!!!
May 7th, 2008 at 15:16
MySQL Server is Open Source, even Backup extensions…
[…]As reported yesterday from CommunityOne:

* MySQL Server is and will always remain fully functional and open source,
* so will the MySQL Connectors, and
* so will the main storage engines we ship…
May 7th, 2008 at 15:49
That’s good news. I was already looking for an alternative to MySQL before this announcement was made. I’m glad this will allow me to remain a LAMP developer.
Now if only Zend would change their business model to stop selling a proprietary PHP optimizer… They should just charge more money for consulting!
May 7th, 2008 at 16:06
> Is there any particular reason for the gist of the initial announcement being reverted?
Yeah, they realise the freeloaders that use it will fork it and desert them in droves rather than pay….
May 7th, 2008 at 17:01
Looks like good! I think SUN is very good