Why Oracle Can't Easily Kill PostgreSQL

ruphus13 writes "Claiming that 'PostgreSQL is a FOSS alternative to MySQL and hence Oracle should be allowed to pursue MySQL' is a specious argument, according to Monty Widenius. He fears that Oracle, or someone else, can easily squash PostgreSQL by just 'buying out' the top 20 developers. The Postgre community has fired back, calling that claim ridiculous. According to the article, 'PostgreSQL as a project is pretty healthy, and shows how vulnerable projects like MySQL are to the winds of change. PostgreSQL could die tomorrow, if a huge group of its contributors dropped out for one reason or another and the remainder of the community didn't take up the slack. But that's exceedingly unlikely. The existing model for PostgreSQL development ensures that no single entity can control it, it can't be purchased, and if someone decides to fork the project, the odds are that the remaining community would be strong enough to continue without a serious glitch.'"

Comments

Re:Firebird

[hairyfeet]

That is why I never understood this whole "ZOMG! MySQL is gonna fall to teh evils Oracle!!!" bullshit. Once of the nice things about FOSS is there are many ways to do the same job. Some of them are more user friendly, some more designed for power users, but it isn't like there is only one way to do things.

And if /. is gonna run bullshit articles like this, could they PLEASE put a disclaimer at the top that says "WARNING: Monty used to own MySQL and now wants it back for free!" okay? Monty is a douchebag who sold his product for an assload o' cash and now wants to whine and demand his app back, while not giving back one dime he took for it.

If Monty wants MySQL back so bad, give back the money! I'm sure as much as Sun is hurting Oracle will be more than happy to take back that assload o' cash and hand him MySQL. But all this "Waaah they won't give back MySQL!" bullshit needs to stop, or at least have a disclaimer for those that don't know who Monty really is. If he wanted control he shouldn't have accepted the $$$, but he did so he should STFU and don't let the door hit him on the way out. What a douche.