Re: License of MaxDB

>I believe that a LGPL client is not enough to circumvent the GPL in our 
>case.  The client software is a separate piece of software only so that 
>we can use a client/server architecture. If not for this requirement, 
>then the client and server would be one unified piece of software.

>That they are intended for use as one piece of software can be simply 
>demonstrated by attempting to run on piece without the other. Without 
>the server to respond to requests and process data, the client is 
>useless. Without the client to allow the server to receive input and 
>return output, the server is useless.

Also, the Database client software essentially require _a_ database.  The 
whole point of SQL is to make it relatively unimportant _which_ database 
you use.  (and obviously the database doesn't require a specific client).

>Additionally, the Free Software Foundation's GPL FAQ states:

>   By contrast, pipes, sockets and command-line arguments are
>   communication mechanisms normally used between two separate programs.
>   So when they are used for communication, the modules normally are
>   separate programs. But if the semantics of the communication are
>   intimate enough, exchanging complex internal data structures, that too
>   could be a basis to consider the two parts as combined into a larger
>   program.

I think this is a bit silly though, the line has to be drawn somewhere. 
Maybe if you are loading shares libraries via NFS and linking them it's 
one thing.. but "exchanging internal data structures" ? 

Then GAIM is part of AOL's server, and thus probably violating AOL's 
copyright, and Samba, etc. 

On the other hand, I think most companies are happy to pay for the 
support, regardless of whether the software itself is free or not.  Our 
company in particular would have signed up for support from SAP had it not 
been an all or nothing proposition - but once we have to pay for the 
software too, the idea is.. why not just use Oracle?  (We are still 
deciding if we will upgrade our SAPdb 7.3 to maxdb or to something 
commercial like Oracle when it comes time...)

Cheers!
-- 
Zak Greant
MySQL AB Community Advocate




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