Ben Clewett wrote:
What you say is that the API is in my application. The API is part of MySQL. Therefore my application is GPL or needs a licence.
Please don't confuse API and library. The libmysql or libmysqld libraries are GPL'd. Anything linked against them is automatically also GPL'd (unless licensed otherwise). The API simply describes how to use the library.
Therefore, if I was to use ODBC, I would not be using your API in my application, and could install MySQL under the GPL and use my application without licence? (If I so choose.)
Technically speaking, if you had an ODBC server and MySQL server installed and connected with an LGPL or BSD or commercial ODBC client to those services and never modified or linked against those services or the mysql library in any way, you'd be clear of the GPL as far as the MySQL library is concerned.
Some will argue that, of course, but claiming that connecting over a network port to an ODBC server is somehow linking against that server is pretty tough. That said, ODBC doesn't give you all the features of the library.
I better copyright all my GPL projects ASAP...
Everything you write _is_ Copyright to you (unless its a work-for-hire, etc.) automatically. Registering those Copyrights is often unnecessary (sign a copy with PGP, E-mail it to someone, have them sign it and store a copy of it; that'll pretty much prove you wrote it for many cases).
Maybe my own applications will be replaced with a GPL ones. I might even wright them my self. Until then, saving money on erronious licence fees payes for my family to eat.
I might add that I believe most of the MySQL AB programmers' families do in fact eat. They're paid. As are the programmers for ReiserFS (also GPL'd). These types of business models are different, but not unprofitable.
--
Michael T. Babcock
C.T.O., FibreSpeed Ltd.
http://www.fibrespeed.net/~mbabcock
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