Sun Buys MySQL | Hacker News Reader

Sun Buys MySQL

blogs.mysql.com

55 pointsedw51944 comments

Expect to see lots and lots of Java in MySQL in the near future. The worst thing that could happen to any good software project - intrusion of Java - will happen almost certainly to MySQL.

I was worried about the same thing. Got an example of what you're worrying about?

Take the history of OpenOffice. Pre-2.0 didn't require you to install Java. The problem is that Java VM is a commercial product controlled by Sun. By restricting Java VM to certain platforms Sun can potentially kill OSes they don't like, because with no OpenOffice (now also MySQL) an OS can be considered dead. This is worrisome - well, for those who don't trust Sun at least.

There is a language spec, you can write your own VM (I wouldn't recommend it...).

Actually JVM is GPL'd already, somehow missed the news, so it's not that worrisome.

Except that, you know, Java is going fully open-source. VM and the whole works.

As I wrote below, yes, somehow missed the news about JVM, but the thing is, as an example, MySQL is GPL'd too and it is not quite open (and I still don't get it how they managed to take GPL down that way).

As far as I know, they keep a dual license; every change in the code goes for both licenses, excepting those changes they want to keep closed, those going only for the non-GPL license. Only the real owner of the software (not the licensee) has the right to do this kind of stuff with GPL.

Please correct me if I'm wrong in my guess.

Just checked their web site - you are right.

You got it right. http://forge.mysql.com/wiki/Code_Contributing_FAQ has more information.

Other companies with a split proprietary/free model require copyright assignments for contributions as well. So, too, does the FSF, although for rather different reasons.

I guess it is good for us since we program in Java and MySQL, although I definitely wouldn't want Sun to run the great MySQL product into the ground.

Java Intrusion is almost the worst thing... it could be worse though... Adobe could have bought MySQL and converted it to native ColdFusion (running on Java).

Op, must have found a ColdFusion fan on YC News... I used to write that for a job for years... rest assured, the affliction can be cured!

Got downvoted on reddit for a similar remark. The only logical conclusion I can derive from that is "Ron Paul likes Java".

"Ron Paul likes Java"

Nah, too black.

Lame downmods. It's just a joke.

I haven't downmodded you (at least, not yet), but all I'm going to say is that (1) it's a lame joke and (2) there's a pattern with you and this crap.

Quoth you a couple months ago:

If there is anybody here who thinks that blacks and Jews are genetically equivilent [sic] in intelligence, raise your hands. Please, I beg you. (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=88082)

Was today's comment so bad? Nope, just lame. Unfortunately, people make logical leaps where they shouldn't. As you said so eloquently in another thread when you asserted that blacks must obviously be stupid: at what point does the evidence become overwhelming?

Yeah, I'm still waiting for some evidence for that particular claim. You might think it "bad", and bad as it might be, I'm perfectly willing to believe whatever the evidence points to. There just isn't much.

By the way, for anyone who missed it, the media ran its usual hit pieces against Ron Paul, accusing him of racism, etc, etc. Hence my (admittedly lame) joke.

(Comment about things you can't say)

Actually, MySQL could really use an embedded procedure-writing language. Java wouldn't be the worst choice they could make, especially given the proliferation of other languages implemented atop the JVM -- being able to use JRuby for stored procedures inside a running MySQL instance (with no network I/O or marshalling overhead) would pretty much rock.

Of course, you could also just use Postgres, which already lets you embed your choice of scripting language(s) in the database server...

Facebook = $15 billion. MySQL = $1 billion?

The world is a messed up place.

Facebook is overvalued. But the numbers 1 and 2 in a market are much more valuable than the rest. If you buy number 1 you are the market leader and if you buy the runner up you can fight for market share or buy some smaller players later on. The number 3 is only interesting if the company can quickly gain a lot of market share. Often those companies are sold off again if that does not happen.

Facebook also has a much better revenue model than providing support for open source software.

How do you figure? $3/user/year doesn't knock my socks off.

Both of the above comments refer to cliches that have been repeated so often that it's tempting to believe them.

We read all the time about number 1 or number 2, but companies survive or die based on profitability and fiscal responsibility, not market position.

Also, revenue model != revenue or, more importantly, earnings. And whether a company has a good revenue model is at best peripherally related to how accurately it's valued.

I'm not sure the MySQL figure is too high.

Compared to Oracle's market cap of $113 billion, MySQL is a relative bargain.

And while their business models are different, Sun is in a position to make a major dent in Oracle's client base.

With Sun behind them, it's easier for big enterprise customers to go along with MySQL instead of Oracle; support costs for using MySQL are also cheaper.

The net effect will be more profits for Sun overall.

You are worth your asking price times the probability of getting it. Facebook is not worth $15 bil, not now anyway.

It's the dream, for a company like MySQL. Build it until the community loves your product, and then cash in when you get acquired. Congrats to those guys for succeeding. I can only hope that I'll one day be fist-bumping with a major technology player who recently acquired one of my products (don't we all?).

For a billion dollars, they could sponsor 200 years of "DARPA Robot Car Race" style events which would really move technology forward.

Please don't get me wrong, It is Sun's money to do with as they wish, I am just trying to get my head around a billion dollars.

I doubt if they'll ever see a commensurate return on that investment. They'd have to make millions of dollars in profit per year just to keep up with the time value of money.

I think it's a strategic move for the company: MySQL might help positionate better all Sun products, and so they buy. I don't think they are going to get that kind of profit from that product alone, that's not the objective afaik.

You don't think Sun wants Oracle's slice of the pie and is perfectly reasonable for wanting it? They know better than anybody what that slice is worth...Sun and Oracle were the basis of most of the first Internet boom and both made out like bandits. Even if they can only make a tenth what Oracle makes, it's still worth every penny.

It would have been smarter to buy MySQL AB earlier...but Sun only recently really got that Open Source religion, and earlier they would have been reviled for stepping in and buying up MySQL (if the MySQL guys would have even sold to a pre-OSS friendly Sun). Sun also had a bad habit of buying and killing companies, which is presumably now corrected. The OpenOffice acquisition turned out well (ignoring the Java dependency issue already mentioned), so everybody probably trusts them to do the right thing by MySQL.

This is an interesting move, but will make money for Sun? MySQL isn't free but it's not expensive. It will take an awful lot of sales before they break even.

I'm guessing they will find some way to raise the price of MySQL licences, perhaps by bundling higher-priced licences with Solaris.

One more reason to stick with PostGreSQL in the long run...

Many Sun boxes are sold to run Oracle. Many Sun boxes are not sold because there are solid options that are not Oracle.

Step 3... Profit!

I guess I still have not fully understand the concept of earning money with open source software. Any ideas on how they plan to earn a billion dollars with MySQL? I thought what most open source companies do is sell consulting from time to time (help us set up our MySQL server), is that really such a big market?

So much for their pushing Postgresql:-(

You can't buy an open-source project. While MySQL has (so far) distributed their code under an open-source (well, sort of) license, they follow the traditional "all development is done by employees who assign copyright to the company" model. In contrast, Sun could hire a few Postgresql developers, but there isn't any central organization which they could buy out.

Similarly, there are persistent rumours that Sun will buy RedHat; but never any suggestion that anyone would buy Debian or FreeBSD, because the later both lack any central corporate body.

Err... yes, I know. As a Postgresql user, it was nice to know they were spending some money on Postgresql, and I'm sorry that that will likely come to an end.

MySQL is available under the GPL. Nothing sort-of about that.

MySQL is available under the GPL, but MySQL AB has a history of misleading people about what the GPL license means, in order to convince people to pay for commercial licenses which they don't need.

That's what I meant by "sort-of" -- MySQL is GPLed, but where potential customers are concerned, they try really hard to make sure that people won't take advantage of that fact.

A Java version of MySQL + JRuby, which is almost shaping up to be faster than mainline = Sun threatening to control the market again.

Although JRuby + JMySQL on the right VM could make easy virtualization on RoR for companies like Dreamhost.

What do you mean by "control the market"?

Wow, so who had that one on his/her 2008 predictions list? :-)

I guess the guys of http://www.win.tue.nl/hashclash/Nostradamus/ had.

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