RE: LINUX is the "one" ? .... Comments???

No... the GPL is only there to make sure that you can't "steal" the
product.   Most open-source programmers are working with no pay for their
products simply because they want to 'give something back', and therefore
they don't want commercial entities taking their products and selling
them.

Let's say you create a product called PlutaWorks which is a word
processor, spreadsheet, and front-end to MYSQL (as a database).

You're free to distribute that product to your customers.  All you have to
do is tell them "it requires MySQL, which you can download and install
from MySQL.com"

That's not much different from saying "This product requires Windows XP"
and expecting you to install that separately.   Or, my EDI software
(Premenos/Harbinger/Peregrine/Inovis) required the Cryptgraphic Access
Provider LICPGM from IBM.   I had to install that separately, IBM sent
that to me at no charge, I was all set.

Unlike those things (which are much more restrictively licensed) the GPL
allows you to even distribute the software together, as long as it's clear
that they are separate programs, and that the one that's GPLed can be
freely distributed just as it was given to you.

There are some other misc things you have to do, such as give a link back
to the source code, etc.  They're all designed around the idea that it's
freely distributable, you can't claim it as your own, and the source is
also freely available.  They're all designed to protect that.

They certainly don't stop you from using MySQL with OS/400 or anything
like that.  You're more than welcome to use GPL with commercial software.
Just don't distribute it, or a derivative of it, as a "part of" a
commercial software package.

On Thu, 3 Apr 2003, Joe Pluta wrote:
> >
> > But if you use it with no gpl product you must buy commercial mysql.
> > Just for avoid to violate gpl.
>
> I agree, Stephane.  Since I assume IBM doesn't plan on putting OS/400 under
> GPL, that means they would have to license MySQL to include it.  If I used
> it in a commercial product, I would also have to license it.  No big deal,
> and the license is not particularly expensive, but while MySQL may not be
> "commercial" it's also not "free".
>