[Bulk]From another group: Help save MySQL

[Christopher Browne]

On Sun, Jan 3, 2010 at 12:33 PM, Stephen <stephen-d-bJEeYj9oJeDQT0dZR+AlfA at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> I signed the petition.

Before knowing why it would be useful (or not!) to do so?

Perhaps you're signing a petition that's a *bad* thing, and I daresay
that with the questions you leave open, it's not evident that you
ought to consider that you know one way or another.

> Can someone explain how Oracle can threaten an Open Source database?

I think Larry Ellison has a bunch of samurai swords...  Those can be
pretty threatening.

> Can someone, like me, not just grab all the source code and use it as I
> please, subject to the GPL?

Certainly.

There are some issues as to how to *interpret* the GPL.  MySQL AB has
had a long history of having torturous interpretations that they so
tortured pretty clearly to encourage people to buy traditional
(non-GPL) proprietary licenses from them.

It's pretty clear that Monty's not happy about control over
proprietary licenses being in Oracle's hands.

> I did read mention of patents. Is this the issue?

It shouldn't; I don't believe that MySQL AB held any patents, and
that's the only way in which patents could actually be relevant to the
matter in a fashion that would make the question of Oracle's ownership
of MySQL AB a matter of interest.

> How can patents come out of an open source project?

They don't.  Someone has to apply for a patent, and the relevant 3
parties who could would be:
a) MySQL AB
b) Sun Microsystems
c) Oracle

If Oracle owns the other 2, then they have control of the patents and
hence are known not to infringe on them.

Anyone else that infringed on the patents would infringe against
whomever is the holder of the patent, and it's actually not terribly
relevant which of the 3 parties it is, it's infringement, regardless.
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