MySQL 4

[Paul Iadonisi]

On Wed, 2004-10-06 at 18:46, Thomas Zehetbauer wrote:

[snip]

> I advocate the use of a license (GPL) that forces people to contribute
> their work and I don't like the way RedHat is treating MySQL 4. First
> they refused to update MySQL because PHP is incompatible with the GPL,
> so MySQL AB added the FOSS exception.

  Your forgetting one rather significant problem that an interim version
of this 'FOSS exception' had: if you invoked the FOSS exception, you
were NOT ALLOWED to ship the server.

>  RedHat still refused to update
> MySQL because the new license was only on their website and not in the
> distribution.

  Which was the correct position to take, legally speaking.

>  Now there is a new tarball with the FOSS exception inside
> but still no RedHat RPMs because OF the FOSS exception.

  Maybe not too little, but definitely too late.  That's why Alan Cox
said 'probably FC4'.  We're just way to far into testing (and even
September 10 was way to far into it) to do a major version upgrade of an
app. that various components link to.  It would be a little difficult to
put a MySQL 4 rpm in rawhide now, if MySQL 3 is what is going to be
shipped.  I suspect that, provided all the legal issues have been worked
out (which I think they have been), we will see a MySQL 4 rpm appear in
rawhide shortly after the release of FC3.  Hang in there.

>  I wonder where
> this is going to lead.

  And I wonder what your implying, here.  Red Hat has a LONG and STRONG
history of eliminating non-free (in the FSF/OSI sense) software.  The
last two pieces, I believe, were Netscape 4.* (ick) and pine.
  This isn't about choosing between PHP and MySQL.  PHP's license isn't
ideal (particularly the Zend Engine piece), but it generally meets the
standards of at least OSI and is redistributable and modifiable.  So is
MySQL.  But combining the two is (was, really) problematic.  Rant as you
will about the PHP license, but as has been pointed out before, it'll
get you nowhere in this forum.  ESPECIALLY with inflammatory remarks
such as 'lame excuse', when there were damned good reasons for the
decisions.  Red Hat has no control over what the PHP developers (or
anyone else) choose for a license.   And remember that PHP isn't the
only piece of software that was problematic in combination with the new
MySQL client libs.
  Patience is virtue.  Practice it.  MySQL 4 could very well be included
in FC4.
-- 
-Paul Iadonisi
 Senior System Administrator
 Red Hat Certified Engineer / Local Linux Lobbyist
 Ever see a penguin fly?  --  Try Linux.
 GPL all the way: Sell services, don't lease secrets