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Challenges in Releasing Open Source Software?

Posted by Cliff on from the determining-the-hurdles dept.

Chris Vaughan asks: "Me and my Co-Workers at the Advanced Computing Research Lab are just about ready to release our first Open Source package on SourceForge.net I ask the Slashdot community what hurdles they had to overcome and how much involvement do they still have in their project years later. Also what types of licensing did you pick and why did it suit your project best? Our project, MyPBS is a PHP/MySQL/Perl frontend accounting package for the Portable Batch System (PBS). Which is used to account for super computing usage. I appreciate any comments you may have."

3 of 24 comments (clear)

  1. Re:You need to review the MySQL licensing scheme by Brandybuck · · Score: 2, Interesting

    so I'm having to prep to pay for licensing since we use postfix with MySQL

    According to the GPL, there are no restrictions on use. So why is MySQL making you buy a license?

    --
    Don't blame me, I didn't vote for either of them!
  2. Re:You need to review the MySQL licensing scheme by Alan+Shutko · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The MySQL people have their own view of the GPL which may not reflect reality. Notably, you can do practically anything you want with GPL'd software if you don't distribute it. Note that "Activities other than copying, distribution and modification are not
    covered by this License; they are outside its scope." Also note that 2b only specifies that the results need be under the GPL (thus necessitating GPL-compatible licenses) if you distribute it. Their view of whether making and using copies within an organization consists distribution conflicts with the FSF's view on that matter.

    MySQL's revenue model is predicated on convincing as many people as possible that they need licenses, but you should really talk to your own lawyers. Or just pay, because you get support and help its development. But be aware that MySQL will try to convince you to buy licenses even when you may strictly not need them.

  3. MySQL & License by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    People keep saying that using MySQL restricts the types of licenses that be used on this project.

    Does it matter if the actual accounting system uses common php and perl modules to connect to the MySQL database? What if the actual project does not directly access any MySQL API and no MySQL product is distributed with it. Say the code contains SQL and calls to php and perl database functions, and it just requires that the system have MySQL installed and a properly configured database. What if the user downloads the project and can trivially modify it to use Postgresql? If the project if very loosely integrated with MySQL why should the license be limited by MySQL?

    Where is the line drawn? For example, If there is an SQL statement that uses the MySQL lock table syntax is that enough for MySQL to restrict the open source license used?

    ?