What an IBM-Sun Merger Might Mean For Java, MySQL, Developers

An IBM-Sun merger is a tantalyzing possibility; snydeq writes "Fatal Exception's Neil McAllister suggests that an IBM/Sun merger could crown Big Blue king of enterprise software development. 'Acquiring Sun would make IBM the clear leader in Java, as it would become the caretaker of the open source reference implementation of the JRE,' which, along with GlassFish, would become entry-level gateways to IBM's WebSphere stack. Moreover, MySQL would give IBM's database division a significant entry-level hook, and NetBeans/Eclipse would unify IBM's front against Visual Studio. 'All in all, this move would solidify IBM's role as "the developer company,"' McAllister writes. 'In other words, if this merger goes through and you're an enterprise developer and you're not an IBM customer now, get ready — because you soon will be. Better bring your wallet.'" And blackbearnh writes with a short interview with Brian Aker (who came to Sun as MySQL's director of architecture, and is now the lead for MySQL fork Drizzle) about what life would be like under Big Blue's control.

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Re:What an IBM-Sun Merger Might Mean

[Finite9]

When MySQL was sold to Sun, the lead devs probably thought it was great... they made a few bucks and they probbaly rationalized away the fact that they were giving free software to a bad corporation and it would eventually hurt their users and the entire free software community. Sun probably buttered them up and said it would never happen...here have a few more million to take your mind off it. NOW look at the situation: the main guys quit Sun due to "conflict of opinion" and started a fork of MySQL to bring it back to the community, and then Sun, the company who said not to worry, gets bought out by a company that has absolutely no interest in making MySQL competitive with their own DB2. How much are we willing to bet that MySQL sees no major new development from now on (if they buy Sun that is)? The recently 'forked' version has been set back, and it may take years to get to the point in development that it *could* have been if it had remained free. Note to lead devs: thanks for dropping the community in the shit. Hope you enjoy your millions.