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MySQL Changes License To Avoid GPLv3

Posted by kdawson on from the love-that-v2 dept.

munchola writes "MySQL has quietly changed the license it uses for its database to avoid being forced to move to the forthcoming GPLv3. CBRonline is reporting that Kaj Arno, MySQL VP of community relations, revealed the license change on his blog, noting it was made 'in order to make it an option, not an obligation for the company to move to GPLv3.'"

1 of 311 comments (clear)

  1. Re:This makes no sense by Cyclops · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Well, if MySQL should be usable with GPL2, the "or later clause" may cause problems. For example a GPLv3-only-licensed patch would force MySQL to the new license.
    This makes absolutely no sense:
    1. they have the right to REJECT the patch
    2. they require copyright assignment so they could change the license anyway


    Somehow, when a company capitalizes on the "commercial" confusion, it doesn't surprise me at all that they would make this "error" (I don't think it's accidental, I mean to suggest they are faking a confusion, as in the "commercial" term, in order to forbid anyone from making a GPL V3 fork of MySQL)

    The "commercial" term "confusion" they capitalize upon make many think that in order to make a commercial application they would have to get the proprietary version of MySQL.

    That, of course, makes no sense at all. The FSF explains it very succintly, and David Wheeler quite recently explained it in a very detailed manner.