I agree with you in some stuff. But let me add a few lines. GPL in the
commercial sense could be seen as a virus which infects anything it
touches. If your product is based on one product that has a GPL license
on it, your product source must be released or you will be in violation
of the GPL License. Even if your product is not for commercial, your
supposed to release the source. In GPL, even if you dynamically attatch
to a GPL released library, you have to release your source.
For most commercial products, this type of licensing not even an option
and the risk are high. Unless you dont mind releasing your product as GPL.
I do not know what arrangements are made by RS, but if RS makes the
plugin, then they are supposed to release the source of such plugin,
which they may not have an issue with. As the developer of an app, and
if your planning on releasing the app as a commercial app, avoid using
GPL components at all cost.
Now for MySQL, they do provide a Commercial License that will make all I
am talking about MySQL and GPL nulled.
If your in the developing stages, you can use(according to mysql
website) MySql as long as you dont deploy your app. When you deploy your
app, and you have YOUR OWN SERVER or your client wants THEIR OWN
SERVER.* MySQL Enterprise Basic at just $595* /Server/Year
Thats the cost of using MySQL with your commercial product. So if you
have 10 Clients using 10 servers, you would have to pay $595.00 *
10=$5950.00 per year per server. Your cheap solution will be to use a
Host provider that provides Licensed MySQL and for that you neeeeed to
ask them.
My old provider, Host Gator from Florida, hostgator.com have purchased
the Enterprise for their servers and are under Commercial licensing from
MySQL. So you do not have to worry. Just ask your provider.
If you want to deploy inhouse Client - Server solutions and not incur an
additional price tag, per deployment, Valentina Developer Subscription
may be one of your options as they provide a Royalty Free Distribution.
I am still evaluating Valentina so I cant say more then that.
About RealSQL Server, I need to find their licensing scheme. As far as I
know is per server but I could be wrong. For now, my developments are on
MySQL and MSSQL. If my clients want to be hosted by me, fine no
additional cost, if they want to have their own server, then they can
pay the commercial licensing.
You can also try using LGPL databases or components. Or Public Domain.
IMHO
Wade Maxfield wrote:
Many of you may be familiar with the GPL and MySQL. If so, I apologize,
this message is not for you.
Just a friendly warning about MySQL and RB and your code!
You cannot ship a product built with the MySQL plugin that RealSoftware
supplies and sell your product as a commercial closed source product.
You
MUST distribute your source code IF you distribute with the MySQL plugin
compilet into your product. You CANNOT restrict rights to re-use that
source code. You CANNOT prevent someone from reselling your product or
any
derivations.
The MySQL plugin is licensed as GPL, not as LGPL (which would allow
this). I am assuming there are serious implications for RB IDE itself
since
it links itself with the GPL plugin, and they advertise that they include
MySQL support with the product, but that is another discussion. Unless
MySQL or the GPL gives them (or has given them) an exception similar
to the
same exception that Linus gave the Linux kernel for modules, they
could have
to dance in an interesting way. The general rule is if you link with
a GPL
product, your product is covered under the GPL.
To sell a closed source product that uses MySQL, you must either go
to a
third party MySQL plugin that is totally GPL free, or you need to contact
the MySQL folks and purchase a non-GPL license from them. They are
free to
have a dual license for the same product since they created the
product. As
creator, they can license the product different ways simultaneously.
I saw somewhere the cost of such a license from the MySQL folks was a
very reasonable value of around $300 USD, but that is third or fourth
hand,
and that information may be wrong.
I did give RS a feedback request for a non-GPL plugin for MySQL to RB,
but they said that was MySQL's issue, not theirs. I respectfully
disagree
with them, but wanted to let you folks know, just in case you had not
thought about it. RB's business is RB's business, but your business is
yours. Please don't be caught unawares.
thanks,
Wade
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