Does VB breach the MySQL license?

[sambah]

As far as I can tell vbulletin is technically in breach of MySQL AB's license

URL: http://www.mysql.com/company/legal/l...l-license.html

Could anybody shed some light on this matter please ?

[amykhar]

what clause do you think it violates? Jelsoft does not distribute mysql with the application.

[sambah]

These ones...

Selling software that requires customers to install MySQL themselves on their own machines.

If you develop and distribute a commercial application and as part of utilizing your application, the end-user must download a copy of MySQL; for each derivative work, you (or, in some cases, your end-user) need a commercial license for the MySQL server and/or MySQL client libraries.

With a commercial non-GPL MySQL server license, one license is required per database server (single installed MySQL binary). There are no restrictions on the number of connections, number of CPUs, memory or disks to that one MySQL database server. The MaxDB server is licensed per CPU or named user.

[Paul M]

Somehow I think you are slightly mis-interpreting those clauses, otherwise just about every application that needed a mysql database would be breaking them - probably half the worlds websites.

[sambah]

How am I misinterpretting them....

It clearly says you need a commercial license to distribute any non GPL/free software which is reliant on MySql, and that you need a license for each specific server you have this setup on.

[Paul M]

Well clearly you are - since that's how a large proportion of the worlds sites run, and I don't recall anyone at mysql complaining about it - I suggest you ask the writers of mysql, since it's their licence you are quoting.

[sambah]

Its hard to believe that you have completely disregarded the actual content of my posts and given a condescending response based on your opinion that since half the world runs it then my point is invalid.

I was merely asking for a little clarification on a point about vbulletin, yet you give a scathing and flippant response to "ask mysql."

Edit: I've now done a little research on the issue, and it seems I did have a valid point, although a little outdated

Originally Posted by Zak Greant - MySql AB

As for the issue of whether vBulletin is or is not a derivative work of MySQL: I don't know. If a program could be a derivative work of another program, then only a court can definitively decide if a derivative work has been formed.

We always recommend that proprietary programs use the proprietarily licensed version of MySQL. This recommendation is simple, understandable, pays our bills and is never wrong. We also encourage vendors to consider switching their applications to Free/Open licensing as well so that they can use MySQL free of cost.

In addition to the technical issues around the licensing, there are the business issues - most proprietary developer are pleased to license the software, or enter into other business arrangements, if there is significant benefit to them for the cost.

Originally Posted by Scott MacVicar - VB dev

Thanks for you reply Zak.

A member of staff has already been in touch with Jennifer Casey regarding licensing.

In short, it seems that it is an issue, but negotiations a few years ago have resolved it

Source: http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=107079