[mdlug] Open source MySQL - MySQL Creator: Oracle to Purchase Sun which Owns M ySQL

[Michael Mikowski]

----- Original Message ----

From: Aaron Kulkis <akulkis00 at gmail.com>
To: MDLUG's Main discussion list <mdlug at mdlug.org>
Sent: Tue, December 15, 2009 10:00:06 AM
Subject: Re: [mdlug] Open source MySQL - MySQL Creator: Oracle to Purchase Sun which Owns M ySQL


> MySQL is not consistent with Oracle's core business [... ]
> unless they intend to use MySQL as a loss-leader (and there is zero indication of that).

It is very desirable to own the "entry point" in a market because people who upgrade will stay in the family.  
Lots of people who drive Lexus today bought a Tercel as their first car
in 1989.  I assure you, the profit margin on that Lexus is an order of
magnitude greater than the Tercel.  Failure to control the "entry
point" is a well recognized strategic mistake by the domestic
automotive manufacturers in the 70's and 80's. 

I believe Oracle's acquisition of MySQL is a smart move to own a very popular entry point, and they are encouraged to keep MySQL competative with the likes of PostGres and other free databases.  If they do not, people will have a different migration path.

I worked at one of the world's largest on-line advertising firm
for 4 years, and when I started, the servers ran almost all internally supported OSS: MySQL, free RedHat, BSD.  Now they run MySQL + Oracle and for RHEL + Solaris with paid
support for over a thousand of server.  At a certain level of
scale and success, it makes a lot of sense to outsource support and upgrade products.  There was even talk of moving from RHEL to "Oracle Unbreakable Linux" to avoid the inevitable finger-pointing that occurs with Oracle on RHEL.

Of course, time will tell if the brass at Oracle "gets it" and acts accordingly.  But I think they do -- it worked well for them at my former employer.

Sincerely, Mike


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