Michael “Monty” Widenius, the creator of MySQL, is asking for help to save MySQL of Oracle.
On April 20, 2009, Oracle announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire Sun Microsystems, the actual owner of MySQL (SUN acquired MySQL on 2008).
You know what’s the Oracle’s business (databases), and that the future of MySQL doesn’t look very promising after the companies merge. USA authorities have blessed the deal, but the European Commission is still reluctant because of the possible effects of the deal over MySQL. Great!
Monty does a very good review of current situation, and the example of Oracle’s behaviour after buying InnoDB is very enlightening (and frightening too!).
It’s very easy to help:
- Make the people interested in MySQL to know this: Help Saving MySQL.
- Put a link in you website for the next to weeks with the text We are using MySQL, help save it.
- Blog about this!
- Inform your boss ASAP and ask him to send a mail to the European Commission (there are instructions in Monty’s post).
- Send the mail yourself if your boss can’t help.
I don’t think the final solution would be stopping Oracle/SUN deal, but it’s a first step that people is aware that it’s very likely that Oracle will let MySQL die slowly.
Update: Good news! Seems that Oracle Makes Commitments to Customers, Developers and Users of MySQL (via Oracle garantiza continuidad a MySQL).
That will calm down the European Commission, and most the people worried for the future of MySQL.
