MySQL co-creator Michael “Monty” Widenius is making one last effort to prevent Oracle from gaining ownership of the popular open source MySQL database with a Web campaign and petition.
In his plea for support, Widenius writes that if the intellectual property rights “fall into the hands of MySQL’s primary competitor, then MySQL immediately ceases to be an alternative to Oracle’s own high-priced products.”
He would like to see MySQL spun off into another entity separate from Oracle.
According to ITWire, Widenius even suggests changing MySQL licensing from the GNU Public License to the more liberal Apache license. Doing so, he argues “would mean that Oracle as the new owner of MySQL could not use its position to lock in some of MySQL’s customers and partners.”
–If Oracle buys MySQL as part of Sun, database customers will pay the bill by WideniusMySQL’s open-source nature cannot guarantee its future all by itself by Widenius
