RE: Fw: [gentoo-dev] mysql commercial

RE: Fw: [gentoo-dev] mysql commercial

[Matthew Marlowe]

Steve,

>> 
>> so unless it's of real use to others I might just continue to support it myself.
>> I'm already packaging up other internal apps using a portage overlay.
>> 

I had several clients deploying mysql server clusters in large webfarms at the
start of this year and investigated the options for commercial support of mysql
under gentoo at that time.   This investigation included attending the mysql 
2004 user conference and talking to several decision makers within mysql
along with conversations with other gentoo developers and some discussion
on the gentoo-dev ml.

To summarize:
a) Mysql would not support gentoo unless the tree was somehow stable.  This
meant either GLEP19 would have to become a reality or I would need to maintain
a generic commercial mysql profile/overlay for the indefinite future.  If I could 
provide either of these options, mysql would perform their own testing and eventually
add gentoo to the list of supported platforms.
b) Waiting or assisting GLEP19 seemed to be unlikely to reach maturity in any reasonable
time so I dropped that approach.
c) I started setting up the overlay/profile and commited some initial revisions to cvs, but
after talks with wolf10k2 and the rest of the releng team was convinced that I was getting 
myself into more work than I could handle on my own.

At the same time that I was working on the above, mysql was announcing partnerships with
Dell and Redhat, such that if a commercially supported server running those platforms ever
went down, mysql would take over complete responsibility for bringing the system back 
online (even if that meant bringing in dell and redhat techs to form a combined force).
Eventually my clients decided that the cost/benefit ratio of maintaining a 100% gentoo
server farm vs a hybrid redhat on db servers, gentoo on everything else farm was such
that the hybrid approach was the only realistic course to take.

As a systems administrator and developer, the result was a real frustration for me - but
sometimes you have to live with such compromises.

I thought I had removed the commercial-mysql profile from CVS.  If I havent, I sincerely 
apologize and will clean it up asap.

>> FYI - if you deploy an app which is non-gpl which links against mysql libs then
>> you need to deploy against a commercial version of mysql.
>> this is built and maintained in binary format by mysql - and requires
>> username/password to download.
>> 

OK.  It sounds like you really dont care about their supporting the binaries, you are
just trying to fulfill your legal responsibilities.  In that case, perhaps it does make
sense to add some kind of new ebuild or profile.

However, I dont think it would have broad appeal.  The source built standard gentoo
mysql ebuilds are quite good.  In fact, I prefer them over having to maintain the commercial
ones.  Probably 99% of the interest in commercial binaries is for support, especially with
mysql 5 and database clusters.  I dont see your ebuilds or profiles really addressing that.

Sincerely,
Matt
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gentoo-dev@gentoo.org mailing list

RE: Fw: [gentoo-dev] mysql commercial

[Matthew Marlowe]

>> start of this year and investigated the options for commercial support of mysql
>> under gentoo at that time.   This investigation included attending the mysql
>> 2004 user conference and talking to several decision makers within mysql

Oops.  Should be last year, and 2005 user conference.

Matt
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gentoo-dev@gentoo.org mailing list

Re: Fw: [gentoo-dev] mysql commercial

[Steve Rodgers]

thanks for the feedback.
I agree - the gentoo build is excellent. It's only to meet with our legal obligations.
That legal obligation arises from our non-GPL C app which links against libmysqlclient.
Do you know if it would be enough to deploy and use the gentoo build of mysql but with
our software linked against the commercial mysql libs?

That would allow us to deploy the mysql side of things purely as an alternative lib.

Steve

On Tuesday 03 Jan 2006 20:04, Matthew Marlowe wrote:
MM> >> start of this year and investigated the options for commercial support of mysql
MM> >> under gentoo at that time.   This investigation included attending the mysql
MM> >> 2004 user conference and talking to several decision makers within mysql
MM> 
MM> Oops.  Should be last year, and 2005 user conference.
MM> 
MM> Matt
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gentoo-dev@gentoo.org mailing list

Re: Fw: [gentoo-dev] mysql commercial

[Paul de Vrieze]

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On Tuesday 03 January 2006 21:35, Steve Rodgers wrote:
> thanks for the feedback.
> I agree - the gentoo build is excellent. It's only to meet with our
> legal obligations. That legal obligation arises from our non-GPL C app
> which links against libmysqlclient. Do you know if it would be enough
> to deploy and use the gentoo build of mysql but with our software
> linked against the commercial mysql libs?
>
> That would allow us to deploy the mysql side of things purely as an
> alternative lib.

You're probably better out talking with either a lawyer, or with mysql 
themselves. And talking with mysql, get at least a written statement.

Paul

-- 
Paul de Vrieze
Gentoo Developer
Mail: pauldv@gentoo.org
Homepage: http://www.devrieze.net

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