----- Original Message -----
From: Barney Boisvert <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Friday, February 6, 2004 10:39 am
Subject: RE: MySQL and CF
> It seems there's some disagreement about what the GPL means.
> MySQL is
> distributed under the GPL, so MySQL AB can't add any restrictions
> on use
> beyond what are already in the license. If you need to do things
> that the
> GPL doesn't let you (like distribute MySQL as part of a non-GPL
> softwarepackage, or distribute a modified version of MySQL under
> non-GPL license),
> then MySQL AB also provides commercial licenses for your use.
>
> In general, as long as you're not distributing software, the GPL
> is very
> thin on limitations. And even if you are distributing something
> that is
> based on or derived from MySQL, you're not limited to a GPL
> license for that
> software as long as it can be considered "reasonably considered
> independentand separate works in themselves" (from subsection 2 of
> the Terms section).
>
> Someone pointed out that as long as your app is not strictly bound to
> MySQL-specific syntax (LIMIT clause, for example), then you're
> safe from
> licensing restrictions. Even if your code uses MySQL-specific
> syntax, that
> doesn't necessarily bind it either. As long as your code can be
> consideredit's own separate work (and is distributed separately),
> then you're fine.
> On the flip side, if you have purely non-MySQL-specific
> application code,
> but you distribute it bundled with MySQL, then you ARE bound by
> the GPL,
> even though your app is totally independent of MySQL.
>
> Cheers,
> barneyb
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Vince Bonfanti [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Sent: Friday, February 06, 2004 8:06 AM
> > To: CF-Talk
> > Subject: RE: MySQL and CF
> >
> > Not to comment at all on its technical merits, anyone using
> > MySQL should be
> > familiar with their licensing terms. Specifically, MySQL is
> > *not* free for
> > commercial development. If you use MySQL for a commercial
> > product and don't
> > purchase a commercial license, then you run the risk of
> inadvertently> releasing your source code for free.
> >
> > MySQL is released under GPL, unlike Linux, for example, which
> > is released
> > under LGPL. Under the LGPL, if you write an application that
> > runs on Linux
> > you can redistribute that application without releasing the
> > source code.
> > Under the GPL, however, if you release an application that
> > runs on MySQL,
> > then you must release the source code of your application.
> >
> > Here are the relevant quotes from the MySQL licensing page on
> > their web
> > site:
> >
> > http://www.mysql.com/products/licensing.html
> >
> > Regarding their Open Source license, which is the GPL:
> >
> > "The Open Source License allows you to use the software
> > at no charge
> > under the condition that if you use MySQL in an application you
> > redistribute, the complete source code for your application must be
> > available and freely redistributable under reasonable conditions."
> >
> > If you don't want to release the source code of your
> > application, you must
> > purchase a commercial license:
> >
> > "The Commercial License, which allows you to provide
> > commercial software
> > licenses to your customers or distribute MySQL-based
> > applications within
> > your organization. This is for organizations that do not want
> > to release the
> > source code for their applications as open source / free
> > software; in other
> > words they do not want to comply with the GNU General Public
> > License (GPL)."
> >
> > Note that it's not just the MySQL database that's covered under
> these> license terms--they also apply to the MySQL JDBC and ODBC
> > drivers. (This is
> > the reason BlueDragon no longer ships the MySQL JDBC driver).
> >
> > So if you use MySQL--be careful. If you don't purchase a
> > commercial license,
> > anyone can demand that you give them your source code under
> > the terms of the
> > GPL license.
> >
> > Vince Bonfanti
> > New Atlanta Communications, LLC
> > http://www.newatlanta.com
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
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