SkySQL nabs Monty Program to form MariaDB powerhouse

Open source database consultancy SkySQL has announced a merger with Monty Program Ab, the company that develops the MariaDB database, in a move that reunites key members from the original MySQL development and services teams. The merged company, which will keep the SkySQL name, will continue to market MariaDB, a drop-in …

[Charlie Clark]

Tumbleweed

MySQL's licensing has always been an "open core" mess. It's arguable that Oracle's more overtly commercial exploitation just makes this more explicit but MySQL was always dual GPL/commerical licensed.

I'm no fan of Oracle but under their stewardship MySQL has indeed started to grow up, with absolutely necessary improvements finally making it into the server. Too long has MySQL waved pathetic excuses for cryptic error messages, data corruption and downright stupid implementation. Sure, plenty of customers have found Oracle's pricing reason enough to leave and many have gone on to use other databases including Postgres - the open source db without any licensing issues.

[Skoorb]

Re: Tumbleweed

Yup. These days PostGreSQL is likely to be a better choice anyway, with both a better licence, better documentation, more features, and even a version directly drop in compatible with Oracle (EnterpriseDB).

MySQL's main advantages - ease of deployment, setup, and speed on simple databases - really just aren't there anymore.

It's a real shame that if people need an SQL database, they generally choose between a MySQL version and a big vendor (Oracle, IBM or MS) version and ignore the rest.

[Anonymous Coward]

Wonder what they mean by "MySQL developers from the early days of the project". In the very early days it was just a crude SQL frontend to another database (mSQL). When it became a standalone database it was also crude, so I'd have little faith in those early developers. It only became a vaguely decent database when they used the InnoDB engine, which was created by another company who also happen to be now owned by Oracle. Not that it was any good - I had a production system drop all indexes without warning around 2006. I'd been forced to use MySQL against my wishes, and have made a point of never using it since.

[Anonymous Coward]

MariaDB, SkySQL - How long until they go down the same path as MySQL.

Better to just chose PostGreSQL.

[Steve Knox]

Monty Program's Sky'ing Purchase?

See title.

Also, many, many apologies.