Apparently, the 0fficial download site for mysql binaries and source packages is gone. Instead of the typical open source MySQL, mysql.com is pushing a new database server called "MySQL Enterprise".
It looks like MySQL is doing the same thing that Red Hat did a few years back. Pulling support for their "Free" version and offering an "Enterprise" product in it's place. While I don't have a problem with this in theory, it does cause a pretty significant problem for people who rely on MySQL for their production databases. At the moment, you can still download the current MySQL binary and source packages from the MySQL community site. However, I believe this will soon change.
This is the basic problem with OSS. It's free - That means you're not going to make much money by selling it. It doesn't make for a very good business plan.
What scares me, though, is how easily companies adopt open source products. I know of at least one mid sized ISP that runs their entire email system on a MySQL database. If the MySQL were to disappear or the license were to change, they would be up a creek big time.
Before implementing any OSS into your environment, you should ask yourself a couple of basic risk management questions.
- If this project goes stale, can my organization support this product internally?
- Can the license change? If so, how will it impact my organization?
Personally, I think that this is a good change for MySQL AB as a company and MySQL as a database. In the end we should see a higher quality product. However, I think the existing MySQL user base is being left out in the cold.
- Mike
UPDATE:
Here are some links..
http://www.mysql.com/news-and-events/news/article_1171.html - official announcement
http://www.planetmysql.org/kaj/?p=64 - planetmysql blog post
UPDATE 2:
It turns out that the links on the community download site are to OLD releases. To get the most current MySQL source release (no binaries available) go to ftp://ftp.mysql.com/pub/mysql/src
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