[ale] Trying to understand mysql licensing

[Michael B. Trausch]

On Fri, 2008-05-23 at 16:04 -0400, Atlanta Geek wrote:
> Well the application that we distribute is not in a binary form.  It
> is in the form of a scripting language based on Ruby on Rails.
> Now we did not open source the script code. We still own it and do not
> provide free copies (at least not on purpose) for anyone to run the
> application. We sell the application on its own server.
> So should I assume this would follow the path of a binary application?
> Do we need to charge our customers an annual subscription fee for this
> application to cover the mysql licensing cost?

That is a very fine line.

Take my advice on seeking out an attorney to ask these questions to.
There isn't a very clear distinction with languages like Python and
Ruby, because depending on how you look at it, they link because they
are compiled (albeit transparently).

If you don't seek an attorney out, then I would contact MySQL for
licensing and go that route and determine the costs and so forth.  I
personally wouldn't flirt with the line of properly done and not.
Again, though, I am not an attorney, nor do I play one on the Internet.

	--- Mike

-- 
Michael B. Trausch                                   mike at trausch.us
home: 404-592-5746, 1                                 www.trausch.us
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Ubuntu Unofficial Backports Project:    http://backports.trausch.us/

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