At 08:15 PM 6/7/2006, you wrote:
I believe that if you are only using MySQL for your company's
internal needs, whether from a web server or for deployment to other
company-owned locations, you don't need a commercial license. For
example, if your company owns fifiteen stores, you could set up a
MySQL-based point-of-sale system at each one without needing a
commercial license. You only need to release your source code if you
release your compiled code.
Also, I believe the GPL requirement for sharing only applies if you
have modified MySQL's object code, i.e. compiled your code into it or
it into your code or linked object code to it. If you are simply
installing it as a database and communicating to it through DBI or
ODBC or some other means which uses sockets or ports, you don't need
to release your code under the GPL.
Thus, you hardly ever need to purchase a commercial license.
Please note that this is just my understanding. I hope someone will
correct if I have misstated anything here.
Unfortunately that's not what MySQL AB licensing person told me. The
license is more strict than that. If your company distributes an
application that uses MySQL database inside the company (even inside the
same building), and you don't give the other dept the source code (so it
falls outside the gpl license) then the dept receiving the application
needs to have a MySQL license. In other words, the complete application
source code must follow the application.
If you have a commercial application running in Windows, and expect to sell
a lot of applications, it will cost you $595 per database server *per year*.
See https://shop.mysql.com/network.html?rz=s2. I didn't realize myself it
is now a per server/per year pricing either and it came as quite a shock to
me system. This can add up if you have a thousand applications in
circulation because each customer needs to pay $595/year. If this is too
pricey for you, there are open source databases out there that are free to
use and free to distribute. FireBird and ProgreSQL come to mind. And there
are other commercial databases where you pay up front and have no
distribution fees whatsoever.
Mike
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