I stand corrected. Has MySQL always been this way? Last time Iooked, I could have sworn MySQL required a license for all commercial use. Anyway, back to my original point. It is quite possible to make money licensing open source software.
dave On Tuesday 13 January 2004 14:04, Adam Augustine wrote: > District Webmaster wrote: > > Quoting DTucker: > > > > "Also, much GPLed software is not free for commercial use. If you use > > MySQL > > in you business, you have to pay for it." > > > > Is this really the case? I was under the impression that you only had to > > pay for it when you used it as a part of commercial software offereings > > or service -- but that you could use it as a standalone product in your > > business under the GPL. I was also under the impression that the > > for-a-fee version of MySQL was sold under a different license (and, > > therefore, not GPLed software in that case). > > > > Can anyone clarify for me? > > You are correct. From the MySQL web site: > > "All of our products are available under open source licenses, but we > also sell commercial licenses for all of the products so they can be > adopted in situations where an open source solution is not appropriate." > > All software licensed under an "Open Source Approved License" cannot be > restricted from any "Field of Endeavor". From the opensource.org web site: > > "6. No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor > > The license must not restrict anyone from making use of the program in a > specific field of endeavor. For example, it may not restrict the program > from being used in a business, or from being used for genetic research. > > Rationale: The major intention of this clause is to prohibit > license traps that prevent open source from being used commercially. We > want commercial users to join our community, not feel excluded from it." > > MySQL is GPL and GPL is "Open Source Approved" (I know, GPL is what > pretty much defined "Open Source", I am just trying to make it easy to > understand). Therefore, you can use MySQL in a business environment > without purchasing licenses. > > Adam Augustine > > > ____________________ > BYU Unix Users Group > http://uug.byu.edu/ > ___________________________________________________________________ > List Info: http://uug.byu.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/uug-list ____________________ BYU Unix Users Group http://uug.byu.edu/ ___________________________________________________________________ List Info: http://uug.byu.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/uug-list
