Comments on: All MySQL's children

MySQL is being eaten away from within and without by former and current employees, perhaps calling for a way to protect itself: commercial extensions.

[PACSferret]

Maybe its just too early in the morning to be anything other than cynical, but consider:
1. A fork of MySql was inevitable
2. Drizzle is under Sun 'control'
3. is there likely to be a third fork?

[NicholasGoodman]

Matt - you made one major assumption on the downside of both of these projects. You assume that if Drizzle/OurDelta draw down some revenue from MySQL / Sun that this diminishes the amount of code for everyone because MySQL / Sun can't hire developers, etc. A weaker "MySQL" I think was the way you put this.

Your point that dollars harvested (company revenue) from open source software must yield more open source software (development dollars) is well put, and we're in perfect agreement there. However, it's not just MySQL that can serve that purpose. As long as Drizzle/OurDelta are making open source code for MySQL (they all use GPL... same rules for everyone!!) - dollars spent with Drizzle/OurDelta backers funds that virtuous cycle the same way! :)

[Matt Asay]

Very true. In fact, maybe Drizzle ends up being either a) where Sun makes its MySQL money or b) it completely separates and other companies or individuals invest in it. On this second option, it would be great if Amazon, Google, etc. started contributing significantly to Drizzle. We could have our cake (MySQL) and eat it, too (Drizzle), with a net gain in "MySQL" investment.