Re: Is the shoe on the foot?

Richard Broersma wrote:

>I used to kringe when PostgreSQL articles were posted on Slashdot. It
>seemed that so many liked to spread FUD about how slow PostgreSQL was.
>
>However it seems that MySQL is getting the FUD now and everyone seems
>to have forgotten about the PostgreSQL FUD.
>
>http://developers.slashdot.org/article.pl?no_d2=1&sid=08/04/16/2337224
>
>
>
I'm not sure this qualifies as FUD. I mean, generally FUD implies that
the problems are illegitimate- the classic example was the IBM salesman
warning customers to beware of being locked into an open solution. This
problem (the possibility/probability that Sun will close-source all or
part of MySQL) is a legitimate concern. They're legally entitled to,
and there is a financial argument in favor of them doing it (they need
to better "leverage" their IP to help pay for the cost of buying the
company). Personally, I think it'll backfire, and destroy MySQL's
popularity (especially considering there is a free, fast, *superior*
solution out there for people to switch to). Five years ago, when MySQL
still had a significant performance advantage, maybe it'd have worked,
but not now. But in any case, the possibility that Sun will do this is
a real, legitimate concern, and thus not FUD, for MySQL users.

Brian