Re: Downloading Critical Patch Updates without a Metalink account

raesene wrote:
> sybrandb wrote:
> > On Jan 8, 2:28 pm, "raesene" <raes..._at_gmail.com> wrote:
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > I wonder if anyone could point me in the right direction of where I can
> > > download Security Patches for Oracle database software (9i and 10g)
> > > without having a Metalink account.
> > >
> > > I've downloaded the free versions of the sofware fromhttp://www.oracle.com/technology/software/products/database/xe/htdocs...
> > > andhttp://www.oracle.com/technology/software/products/oracle9i/htdocs/wi...
> > > but I can't find a location to download the security patches for either
> > > product.
> > >
> > > Thanks
> > >
> > > Rory McCune
> > > r..._at_mccune.org.uk
> >
> >
> > For any patch, whether an upgrade or a security patch, a Metalink
> > account is required.
> > The developers license explicitly excludes the entitlement to upgrades,
> > so how do you expect Oracle is going to provide security patches for
> > free.
> > Actually it is strange you are asking this question, because the answer
> > is in your license agreement.
> >
> Hi,
>
> Thanks for the response. this did seem to be the case but I wanted to
> check.
>
> As to why Oracle should provide patches for free, well if people have
> downloaded and installed the Oracle database software, it would seem to
> be in Oracle's interest to want them to be using it in a secure
> fashion.
>
> Without that developers using the software who don't have access to a
> Metalink account may be vulnerable to attack through the Oracle
> instance.
>
> One other thing I did notice from reading the license agreement.
>
> "We grant you a nonexclusive, nontransferable limited license to use
> the programs for: (a) purposes of developing, prototyping and running
> your applications for your own internal data processing operations;"

Emphasis is on "developing, prototyping" ... not running.

>
> there's the implication there if I'm reading it correctly that it can
> be used to run programs for a companies Internal data processing
> (although IANAL so I may be misreading that). So there's a risk there
> that if a organisation are doing that then they will be running
> vulnerable versions of the database.

It's fairly clearly stated that it's not intended to be used to run production systems.

>
> Anyway thanks for confirming my initial impressions on this one.

You are welcome. Received on Mon Jan 08 2007 - 12:57:08 CST