GPL and selling access MySQL (Community Edition) servers

kevpatts

Hey,

Is it possible to sell access to open source DB servers without contravening the GPL?

Regards,
Kevpatts

Rulmeq

MySQL isn't free. You have to pay for it if you are embedding it in an application, or if you are attempting to sell access to it.

It's a common misconception that it's free because it's free to use for the likes of a backend to a website etc (because your service provider has paid for the commercial licence for it)
http://mysql.com/buy-mysql/

NeverSayDie

Well, bearing in mind I'm not a lawyer, and you should seek professional legal advice (which this isn't) if you want to know what's legal or otherwise, I'd speculate that what you've described hasn't much to do with the GPL one way or the other. The GPL doesn't have much to say about money or services in most (but not all) cases - you can sell GPL software if you want, for instance. It's mostly to do with access to source code, modifications to source code, and distribution of source code.

I imagine if there were issues, they might be around whether or not you've modified the GPL code you're using, and what kind of access you give people to the source code. That seems to be the main concern of the GPL.

See their FAQ for possible info;
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html

Rulmeq

A better idea might be to use PostgreSQL since it uses the Berkley licence (or similar) which means that you can pretty much do what you like with it.

croo

MySQL is free! It's free as in "Freedom" and free as in beer too.

You can host solutions with it, sell it, do what ever you wish. The GPL license simple states that if you distribute it then you must provide the source code or a letter of intent to provide the source to any 3rd party for a defined period of time (which slips my mind ... I think it might be 3 years). Other than that you can do as you please. So long as you keep within the terms of the GPL that is... if the code you plan to embed it in is GPL there is no worry... if not then you'd better talk to an IP lawyer to cover yourself! If you plan to host a website with it at the backend that is not considered distribution!

Like most GPL products you can buy mysql too, but what you are typically buying is support & services. MySQL does have has a dual license though so I guess you could be buying it too. Now if you require transaction management with your database the best option is, I believe, to use InnoDB along with mysql and I'm not sure what its license is.

I never understood why MySQL was so popular myself... Postresql was always a far superior solution in my book! (a little flame bait )

NeverSayDie

Rulmeq wrote: »

MySQL isn't free. You have to pay for it if you are embedding it in an application, or if you are attempting to sell access to it.

It's a common misconception that it's free because it's free to use for the likes of a backend to a website etc (because your service provider has paid for the commercial licence for it)
http://mysql.com/buy-mysql/

I wouldn't have thought that was the case - far as I can gather from Sun's licensing, the GPL version doesn't have those kind of restrictions on it? I had the notion the commercial licenses were aimed at folks who wouldn't want to operate under normal GPL restrictions.

kevpatts

I called MySQL and got an answer. It is acceptable to sell access to a hosted MySQL CE installation as long as I you are hosting it yourself.

croo

If MySQL is licensed under GPL (which I believe it is) there is no restrictions on selling - whether you host it or not. Now the real question is what of your own code will using GPL oblige you to open. In this case hosting it is not considered distribution so you are not obliged to distribute your own code based on this GPL code. But the "selling" is irrelevant, GPL makes no restrictions on this either way - it is simply concerned with the distribution of source code.
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/selling.html