Jeremy Zawodny <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote on 02/08/2004 09:41:40:
> On Mon, Jul 26, 2004 at 11:49:02PM -0500, mos wrote:
> > At 04:43 PM 7/26/2004, you wrote:
> >
> > >looks like the answer is no. As soon as fee based software touches
the
> > >mysql install on the PC, the user is obligated to pay the $250.
> >
> > Actually I believe the MySQL 4.x license is more stringent than that.
If
> > the MySQL database is distributed within a company for free, then a
license
> > is still required, unless the application is distributed under the
> > GPL.
>
> Huh?
>
> I bet it depends on the country. In the USA, companies are considered
> singular legal entities. "Internal distribution" is aking to giving
> copies to yourself.
>
> The GPL doesn't restrict that.
Not only that, but I would have thought that you would normally be willing
to offer distribute the source of your application, and/or the GPL source
of MySQL, to colleagues in the same company. The GPL does not require you
to distribute your source to the world, only to those people to whom you
distribute your application. It seems to me that intra-company
distribution would fulfill the GPL in all but the most paranoid of
companies.
> > Wouldn't it be nice if MySQL created a nice little table with a
> > couple of columns "License" and "No License" and a bunch of examples
> > down the left hand side?
>
> Yes, it would de-mystify a lot of this.
I have a couple of simple rules which, while they might not satisfy the
lawyers, seem to me to satisfy the spirit of MySQL's licence:
If:
1. You are being paid money for software, and
2. That software would not work without MySQL
then MySQL deserves a share of that money, and they have defined the
amount they think they deserve by the licence fee - take it or leave it.
If you are distributing your application under the GPL, then you are being
paid (if you are) for development and not for software, and no licence fee
is due.
Alec
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