Re: Oracle buys Innobase (i.e. key bit in MySQL)

On Sat, 08 Oct 2005 11:32:34 -0700, Malcolm Dew-Jones interested us by writing:

>
> Seen elsewhere
>
> Sat, 08 Oct 2005 00:56:43 comp.databases.mysql
> Thread 24 of 24
> Lines 7 All your Innobase are belong to us No responses
> axel.schwenke_at_gmx.de Axel Schwenke at xl_at_home
>
>
> Oracle buys Innobase Oy:
>
> http://www.oracle.com/corporate/press/2005_oct/inno.html
> http://forums.mysql.com/read.php?3,48400,48400#msg-48400
>
>
> No, this doesn't appear to be April 1st seven months early.
>
> The Innobase engine is not made by mysql, but is the key thing used by
> mysql to provide transactions and etc, and is provided to mysql under some
> kind of license. I'm not sure exactly the arrangement or where the
> GPL'ness of either of these fits in - the mysql license is not exactly
> gpl, in theory they get paid for any commercial use of mysql.
>
> In spite of the distaint of many oraclites for all things mysql, perhaps
> Oracle Corp was watching with more concern.
>
> But feel free to form your own opinions about this.

Seems like a great strategy. Especially when you consider:

1. Oracle applications, in the new expanded sense, run on a variety of platforms, including mysql;
2. Oracle has made it clear they support Open Source;
3. mySQL [corp] received the open source for mySAP last year;
4. I've projected about 5 years, at the outside, until Oracle's commercial DB is in the same position as Windows is relative to Linux.

In view of the above, it's been very clear to me that Oracle has considered the 'posd' (plain ordinary sql database) a commodity item for several years.

As a result, they have:

• ensured that the commercial product has a lot of 'added value' (which people don't understand and therefore duplicate in their own code) to ensure continued sales; AND
• they have embarked on a program of securing alternate future revenue by becoming a visible force in the apps arena.

In view of this, I was simply surprised by the timing being so quick after Siebel.

It would not surprise me to hear Oracle providing mySQL free, with an optional annual support contract, just like JDeveloper.

-- 
Hans Forbrich                           
Canada-wide Oracle training and consulting
mailto: Fuzzy.GreyBeard_at_gmail.com   
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