----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Thomas" <mhthomas@xxxxxxxxx> To: <oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2004 7:05 PM Subject: Re: [oracle-l] Open Source issues > This is very good information. Thanks. > > On the one hand, MySQL has a free license for > non-commercial use which has now changed to 'GPL'. > Otherwise, MySQL has always had a small license fee > (and protection from 'GPL') for anyone developing a > system for a commercial application. Many people want > to steal a 'free' license and not pay. > > As the link explains, the 'free' license is changed to > GPL, meaning any system developed with the free > license is also GPL. Now, if your software project > steals a 'free' license you have to release your > software as open source, e.g. GPL. I may not > understand nor explain it 100% correctly, but that's > the general point. > > The only way to protect yourself, if you are > developing software to make money, is to buy a > license. I applaud MySQL for taking these steps. I > found that RedHat has actually improved by charging > license fees, even though Linus is upset about having > to pay for what he writes. I also think this will > improve MySQL. > > <SOAPBOX> > Its funny (to me) is because we always get back what > we are willing to put in, especially in the 'global' > economy and with software companies. Sometimes it just > takes a couple cycles for balance to be achieved. > > Who knows where this is from? > > "Where is the natural place to look for cost reduction > opportunities? In the places where there is apparent > excess manpower - the areas that have improved the > most. Punish people for their improvements and the > process of ongoing improvements comes to a grinding > halt. Morale, and thus performance, rapidly > deteriorates. But at that time the clients have been > spoiled by the excellent performance and they are not > willing to accept any deterioration. Sales plummet, in > some cases, to the extent that financial viability is > not longer there". > > My philosophy is also to laugh at software companies > where the Corporate leadership pitches how great their > outsource projects are going. Regardless, I support > least cost development, but the truth is that most of > the largest license thefts occurs in Asia, China, > India and Russia/East Europe (sorted alphabetical), > and some of our largest software based corporations > will see sales plummet by focusing in these areas. > > Two questions: > 1) How much cheaper is development, when you steal all > your development software, e.g. databases? > 2) How reliable/professional would this type of > organization be? > > E.g. Also, don't ask how many clients 'Oracle <insert > country>' has signed up, rather ask how much new > license revenue has been generated. > > For example, a friend mine from India told me his > friends back home ask him why he has to pay US taxes, > because they don't understand why he can't cheat on > taxes like they do. And, India is not nearly as big a > problem as the others I've mentioned. > </SOAPBOX> > > Its clear that MySQL is getting ahead of the curve in > this case. Congratulations. > > Regards, > > Mike Thomas > > --- DENNIS WILLIAMS <DWILLIAMS@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > If you are considering MySQL or other open-source > > applications, the > > following article discusses some of the more subtle > > issues related to open > > source, particularly if you sell applications based > > on MySQL. > > > > > http://www.infoworld.com/article/04/01/16/03OPstrategic_1.html > > > > > > Dennis Williams > > DBA > > Lifetouch, Inc. > > dwilliams@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------- > > Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: > > http://www.orafaq.com > > > ------------------------------------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe send email to: > > oracle-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > put 'unsubscribe' in the subject line. > > > ------------------------------------------------------------- > > > __________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free web site building tool. Try it! > http://webhosting.yahoo.com/ps/sb/ > ---------------------------------------------------------------- > Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com > ---------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe send email to: oracle-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > put 'unsubscribe' in the subject line. > -- > Archives are at //www.freelists.org/archives/oracle-l/ > FAQ is at //www.freelists.org/help/fom-serve/cache/1.html > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > ---------------------------------------------------------------- Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com ---------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe send email to: oracle-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx put 'unsubscribe' in the subject line. -- Archives are at //www.freelists.org/archives/oracle-l/ FAQ is at //www.freelists.org/help/fom-serve/cache/1.html -----------------------------------------------------------------