Re: Open Source Oracle?

From: Howard J. Rogers <hjr_at_dizwell.com>
Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2004 07:47:56 +1000
Message-Id: <4146158c$0$23895$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au>

Dave wrote:

> 
> "Howard J. Rogers" <hjr_at_dizwell.com> wrote in message
> news:41460c28$0$968$afc38c87_at_news.optusnet.com.au...

>> Phil Britton wrote:
>>
>> > "Howard J. Rogers" <hjr_at_dizwell.com> writes:
>> >
>> >> I wish Oracle Corp. would release obsolete versions (7 and 8.0, for
>> >> example) as open source.
>> >>
>> >> Just because those versions don't have Java, XML and other whistles
>> >> and bells, it doesn't mean they wouldn't make a fine replacement for
>> >> the MySQL and Postgress stuff that usually gets included in all the
>> >> normal Linux distributions these days.
>> >>
>> >> Fat chance, of course.
>> >>
>> >> Just wishing and idly dreaming...
>> >>
>> >
>> >
>> > I think that the main problem would be with stuff in there that Oracle
>> > has licenced from other companies or licence holder, who would either
>> > be not willing to have there stuff open-sourced, or might not be easliy
>> > traceable. Similar to the situation with NVidia graphic drivers for
>> > Linux,
>> >
>> >
>> > cheers
>> >
>> > Phil
>>
>> I didn't think very much third party stuff got into Oracle until the dark
>> days of embedded orbs and God knows what else hit us at 8i.
>>
>> Even so, an Oracle 8.0 with any and all 3rd party bits missed out is
>> still likely to be a darn'd site more usable than MySQL, for example.
>>
>> Regards
>> HJR

> 
> Hi Howard, do you actually mean to release the source code, or just freely
> distribute it with linux distros for example?

Well, I'd settle for a freebie no-limits distribution with a linux distro (in other words, get rid of the licence that says thou shalt not train, store real data, or earn any money from this software).

But no, I really meant to release the source code. I have a sneaking suspicion that Oracle is going in directions that many users find unnecessary (8 Exabytes per tablespace, anyone?). It would be nice if the open source community got a chance to construct an 'openOracle' that took things in the direction users actually wanted. A forked version off from the, say, Oracle 7 base would be worth looking at, I think.

> I personally dont see the benefit of releasing the code, lots of benefit > in letting people have it use it for free (obselete versions as you day)

That would get me 98.75% of the way to true happiness, as I say. So I wouldn't complain at all if that was all that was on offer.

Regards
HJR Received on Mon Sep 13 2004 - 16:47:56 CDT