Effect of the MySQL FLOSS License Exception?

[nospam+pixelglow.com at pixelglow.com]

All, esp. Zak:

I have found much to admire in MySQL, Trolltech and Sleepycat's dual licensing
schemes, in particular I believe it fuels innovation rather than maintenance,
while still admirably supporting open sharing. But that's just my opinion.

Obviously I'm contemplating using something similar to your FLOSS Exception with
my own licenses to increase their reach, but I'm concerned that it exposes a
serious vulnerability.

For example, in your recent case vs. Progress Corp. which would have been an
ideal test of GPL derivation had it gone to court, you objected to Progress
combining MySQL code with their own and keeping that proprietary. If they had
been a little more conniving and in the presence of the FLOSS exception, they
could have made their own code BSD, keep it private but combine it with yours,
and no court could touch them on this count?

Cheers,
Glen Low, Pixelglow Software
www.pixelglow.com


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