That "_by whatever means_" seems to include "network link", and that
doesn't sound right.


Ah, but in order to use it over the network link you need to be
running their server software, on the one side, and their client
access software, on the other.  Both sides are linked to GPL-licensed
software.

Your client software has to link in software belonging to MySQL AB,
and that's where they are now "biting" people on this.

This is one of the reasons why the PHP people removed bundled MySQL
support in version 5 back in June.

Would a perl application using DBI have a similar problem? Or how would one then legally use PHP with MySQL without GPL-ing your product and without buying MySQL commercial license?

Kaarel