On Sun, 22 Feb 2004 14:54:40 -0500 (EST), Richard Welty wrote > it's a little bit complicated. > > the traditional MySQL licensing was GPL for the server, and LGPL for > the client libraries. there were commercial licenses available for > people who wanted support. > > the LGPL exists so that people linking against libraries aren't > forced to GPL the code which links against the libraries. > > with MySQL version 4.1 (i think 4.0 is still traditional), MySQL switched > the client libraries over to the GPL from the LGPL. this means that > any code linking against the client libraries must be GPLed if it is > to be distributed, or else you must buy a commercial license from > MySQL. the interpretation of "distributed" varies, MySQL AB's > interpretation is very strict, they even want you to GPL or buy > commercial licenses if you are only distributing within a business. This sounds almost like going in the opposite direction from Apache and XFree86. Whereas Apache and XFree86 have made their licenses unfriendly to Open Source (by becoming incompatible with the GPL), MySQL has gone and made their software unfriendly to commercial developers that are loathe to buy a commercial MySQL license. Would this be your interpertation as well? -- Chris "Build a man a fire and he will be warm for the rest of the night. Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life." -- Unknown
