Re: [GENERAL] Oracle buys Innobase

Philip Hallstrom <postgresql@philip.pjkh.com>

From: Philip Hallstrom <postgresql@philip.pjkh.com>
To: Bruce Momjian <pgman@candle.pha.pa.us>
Cc: PostgreSQL advocacy <pgsql-advocacy@postgresql.org>, PgSQL General <pgsql-general@postgresql.org>
Date: 2005-10-11T23:51:49Z
Lists: pgsql-general
> [ Comment asking what we can do to protect ourselves.]
>
> We can't do much, actually.  The trademark thing can be secured, but
> other than that, I see no other defenses we could use.  We can't prevent
> people from being hired, and we can't guard against patent attacks.

Seems you could argue that if the success of the postgresql project is in 
the hands of so few then we've got issues regardless of Oracle.  Those 
people could (heaven forbid) get hit by the proverbial bus.  It would have 
the same effect on postgresql itself.  Anyway, just something to keep in 
mind...

> I am willing to write up something for our web site if people think that
> would be helpful.

I think it it might be worth mentioning (in response to the 
mysql/innodb/oracle issue) that there's nothing for Oracle to purchase 
that would limit postgresql in the future -- that postgresql doesn't rely 
on any commercially licensed code the removal of which would adversely 
affect postgresql itself.

Anyway, that's my little 2 cents... :)

-philip