There are other options, of course, including PostgreSQL and Firebird, but they don't have the significant market share that MySQL enjoys. In many ways, MySQL is the database that makes the Internet work. Sun's lie will generate shockwaves, and it is impossible to predict how it will change the landscape, but there's no doubt that it will change it. I can only hope that Sun comes to its senses and changes its mind before it's too late to make peace with the open source community.
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Article comments
1 - Arowolo
wow! thats not fear. i just moved from ms sql to mysql and then this...
2 - Kevin
Can you provide any evidence - e.g. links - to back up your claims about what Sun will do instead of keeping its promises? Aren't you a bit early here - assuming they'll break a promise before seeing the result of the merger?
Also, to call Solaris "Unix-like" is to call the Pacific ocean "sea-like". Remember that Linux is derived from "Linux-Is-Not-UniX", like GNU is "GNU is Not Unix", etc...
3 - dOgBOi
The Information Week article contains the information about Sun emphasizing the SAMP stack over the Linux stack. I did forget to link to the article regarding Sun's locking down features. Sorry about that.
4 - dOgBOi
And Kevin, why does your URL link to Jonathan Schwartz's (CEO of Sun Microsystems) blog? Are you a Sun employee?
5 - Marten Mickos
Thanks for writing about MySQL!
I would like to state that this is not a lie by Sun (or anyone else). The decision behind this was made before we got acquired by Sun, so this is not Sun's decision at all. Any criticism should be directed at me.
I know that our business model decisions may upset people, but at MySQL we also feel we have a responsibility to experiment with business models, because this industry is so new. We produce new GPL code every day, and we have GPLd previously closed source products (MySQL Cluster and Falcon). To do that we depend on a functioning revenue model.
Our commitment to keeping the MySQL server open source continues as before. What this specific issues is about is pluggable add-ons that users can choose to use or not to. The core server will function perfectly with or without them.
Hope this makes sense and feel free to contact me for further clarifications.
Marten
formerly CEO of MySQL AB, now SVP at Sun