eZ pro commercial license and mySql

Author Message

Francesco Pellegrini

Monday 02 May 2005 10:54:46 am

Hallo,

if I buy ezPublish Pro, what do i have to do with mySql license? Is it licensed with eZ or do I have to purchase a separate commercial license for mySql directly from MySQL AB?

kracker (the)

Wednesday 04 May 2005 12:25:20 am

<grin />

I have this idea that tells me that you would only need a Commercial License for MySQL from MySQL AB, <b>if</b> you were to modify MySQL (source code) and then sell a solution to a client without providing the modified MySQL source code to the client (and back to the mysql community, re: GNU GPL)

In most cases, developers do not need to modify the MySQL source code; So it is (likely) unnecessary to purchase a MySQL Commercial License when building a (non-free) solution for a client.

Licensing can always be a bit tricky.
<i>It really depends on just what you plan on doing.</i>

In order to get answers you are looking for you really should be at least, willing to talk in muted detail about what your doing .. even if genericly.

All too often, people refuse to describe what they wish to do, achieve or how they plan on going about their project.

Yet these details are the most vital to even begin to accurately provide correct answers to their specific licensing questions.

It's a <i>Double Edged Sword</i> when <i>everyone</i> is trying to play secret police with their ideas and innovations ... <b>*sigh*</b>

Consult the eZ publish license guide:
http://www.ez.no/ez_publish/licenses

You may also wish to direct your questions regarding eZ publish License via email to : <i>license curly-a ez dott no</i>

An, you may also wish to direct your MySQL license questions to MySQL AB. http://www.mysql.com/company/legal/licensing/

happy hacking,
//kracker

http://www.thebroken.org/

Non-prophets : Hope : Damage

Member since: 2001.07.13 || http://ezpedia.se7enx.com/

kracker (the)

Wednesday 04 May 2005 3:20:48 am

Hey,

Now that I think of it ...

I wonder just what eZ system's Zak Greant (Director, Free Software and Open Source) would have to say on the situation?

Just in case you didn't see the news:
http://www.ez.no/company/ez_crew/ez_headquarters/zak_greant

Any chance someone might point him to this thread?

hit me,
//kracker

Simpsons : Mr. Scorpio & Globex

Member since: 2001.07.13 || http://ezpedia.se7enx.com/

Zak Greant

Wednesday 04 May 2005 3:46:10 pm

Greetings! Kracker, thanks for thinking of me - Sandro pointed the thread out to me.

Francesco, sorry for accidentally moderating your post. I have only used this forum a few times before and was wondering what the fun looking little icons did. ;) The content of the post was not changed.

To get an authoritative answer, you should directly discuss the MySQL licensing with the MySQL.

My recommendation is: if you need an eZ publish Professional License, you probably need a MySQL commercial license as well.

We are working on an FAQ and other materials to help make these choices clearer.

Also, while I am very happy for you to help support eZ by buying an eZ publish Pro license, are you sure that you need the license? You can do a lot with the GPL-licensed version, including selling enhancements to eZ publish, selling support, etc.

I have some draft docs that I can share with you if you like. They are still too messy for general publishing, but I don't mind sharing them with a few people. Followup to this post if you want to discuss further.

If anyone else wants to discuss these issues, start another thread (and ping me at [email protected] to let me know about it) or submit a licensing bug at http://ez.no/community/bugs (just make sure to check for existing issues that match your concerns).

Zak Greant

Wednesday 04 May 2005 3:56:26 pm

Just so that we don't lose track of this, I have filed a bug report here:
http://ez.no/bugs/view/6598

kracker: Thanks for the good advice to Francesco.

One key note on the MySQL commercial license and the GNU GPL. You wrote:

> I have this idea that tells me that you would only need a Commercial
> License for MySQL from MySQL AB, if you were to modify MySQL
> (source code) and then sell a solution to a client without providing
> the modified MySQL source code to the client (and back to the mysql
> community, re: GNU GPL)

This is not quite correct. My opinion here (which I believe is well-formed, but is still not the opinion of a lawyer :) is that you need a commercial license if you wish to distribute MySQL (or a derivative work of MySQL) without making the full source and binaries of all the software available under the terms and conditions of the GPL.

If you just use GPL-licensed software privately (aka do not distribute), then you can do as you see fit with the software.

If you wish to sell GPL-licensed software, you are free to do so. The important point is that while you can charge for a copy of the software, people must be granted the GPL license for free. So, you could sell software, but the recipient could then give away the software or resell it. Oddly enough, it is easy to sell GPL'd software - take a look at Linux distros and Monte Vista. You just have some trouble selling it at a price higher than people think is fair.

Zak Greant

Friday 06 May 2005 2:48:58 am

Aleksander Farstad made an interesting point while we were chatting about licensing today:

eZ publish uses a database abstraction layer. Due to this, it is very, very likely that it doesn't form a derivative work with MySQL.
A case where it might form a derivative work is when MySQL is distributed with eZ publish.

Francesco: My revised personal opinion here is: unless you plan on distributing MySQL with eZ publish under the professional license, you should not require a MySQL license.

Of course, it still might be good form to purchase one as a way to support MySQL.

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