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Mon Aug 10 14:13:46 CEST 2009


have high hopes that Oracle will do the above right if not required to
do so:

For InnoDB:
- Bug fixes where done (but this was done under a contractual obligation)
- New features, like compression that was announced before acquisition, too=
k
=A0 3 years to implement
- No time tables or insight into development
- The community where not allowed to participate in development
- Patches from users (like Google) that would have increased performance wa=
s
=A0not implemented/released until after Oracle announced it was acquiring S=
un.
- Oracle started working on InnoDB+, a better 'closed source' version of In=
noDB
- In the end Sun had to fork InnoDB, just to be able to improve performance=
.

It's true that development did continue, but this was more to be able
to continue using InnoDB as a pressure on MySQL Ab.

Note that Oracle's development on the Linux kernel is not comparable
with MySQL, because:
- Oracle is using Linux as the main platform for their primary database
=A0product (and thus a better Linux makes Oracles platform better)
- The GPL code in the kernel is not affecting what is running on top on it
=A0(because of an exception in Linux).

Because we don't have access to a database of MySQL customers and
users the only way we can get the word out is to use the MySQL and
Open Source community. I would never have resorted to this if Oracle
would not have broken the well established rules in anticompetitive
merger cases and try to influence the EC by actively mobilising the
customers.

This is very critical to this AS SOON AS POSSIBLE as EC, depending on
what Oracle is doing, needs to make a decision either on Monday
(2009-12-14) or within two weeks. Becasue of the strict deadline,
every email counts!

What I want to ask you to do (until 2009-12-19):

- Forward this email to everyone that you know is using MySQL or Open
=A0Source/free software and to all email list where you know there are
=A0people present that use or care about MySQL and open source (please chec=
k
=A0first that this email hasn't been sent there before)
- Alternatively send emails with information about this and tell them
to read http://monty-says.blogspot.com/2009/12/help-saving-mysql.html
- Add links on your web site to
http://monty-says.blogspot.com/2009/12/help-saving-mysql.html with the
text "We are using MySQL, help save it", for the
=A0duration of the next two week.
- Blog about this (feel free to include this text or just link to my blog)
- Call by phone (don't contact by email, this is urgent) your boss or VP
=A0and ask him to read this email and send a letter to the EC commission AS=
AP!
- If you don't have anyone to contact above, send an email to the EC!

As we want the EC to get a correct picture of the situation, we want
you to first fill in the upper part and then choose one of the
proposed texts belove that best matches your view of the
situation. Feel free to supply your own text and additional
information if you think this will help the EC to reach a better
understanding of how MySQL is used.

Send this to: comp-merger-registry at ec.europa.eu

If you have extra time to help, fill in the following, if not, just skip
to the main text.

Name:
Title:
Company:
Size of company:
How many MySQL installations:
Total data stored in MySQL (megabyte):
For what type of applications is MySQL used:
Should this email be kept confidential by EC: =A0Yes/No

Copy or use one of the below texts as a base for your answer:

a)
I don't trust that Oracle will take good care of MySQL and MySQL
should be divested to another company or foundation that have
everything to gain by developing and promoting MySQL. One should also
in the future be able to combine MySQL with closed source application
(either by exceptions, a more permissive license or be able to dual
license MySQL under favourable terms)

b)

I think that Oracle could be a good steward of MySQL, but I would need
EC to have legally binding guarantees from Oracle that:
- All of MySQL will continue to be fully Open Source/free software in
=A0the future (no closed source modules)
- That development will be done in community friendly way.
- The manual should be released under a permissive license (so that one
=A0can fork it, the same way one can fork the server)
- That MySQL should be released under a more permissive license to
=A0ensure that forks can truly compete with Oracle if Oracle is not a
=A0good steward after all.
Alternatively:
- One should be able to always buy low priced commercial licenses for MySQL=
.

There should also be mechanism so that if Oracle is not doing
what is expected of it, forks should be able to compete with Oracle

c)
I trust Oracle and I suggest that EC will approve the deal unconditionally.


--------------------

Let us prove to Oracle and EC that the Open Source community is a true
force and we take good care of our citizens and we prefer to work with
companies that does the same!

The future of MySQL is in your hands!

Thanks for the help!
Michael Widenius
Creator of MySQL


--=20
Arto Ter=E4s <ajt at iki.fi> --- See http://ajt.iki.fi for contact info


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