Eek! Where’s mySQL?
While caring about U.S. politics, I was paying no attention to mySQL. mySQL is the database engine powering this web site, and FindAnISP. Two important things have happened that I totally missed until today, which a WSJ podcast mentioned “mySQL, currently in liquidation”.
That’s not quite accurate, but sure got my attention. The developer of mySQL sold itself to Sun Microsystems in 2008. mySQL is a free open source database, but also has a high-end Enterprise version that is used by big business customers that isn’t free. The second thing is Sun and Oracle (the main corporate database software company outside of Microsoft) have merged. The EU has been getting guarantees from Sun that mySQL won’t be allowed to lose support and be swallowed by the non-free Oracle.
But the damage is done – the developers are dispersing, major users (like Twitter) are switching to other alternatives…. I’m not dependent day to day on mySQL doing anything like provding updates or support, but it is a vulnerability I hadn’t counted on.
