Sun per MySQL, keeping it open source... kinda

Sun backs off plan to charge for MySQL backup features
But reserves right to close source and charge for other features

(Editorial comment - I guess if you paid $1 billion, you might wanna charge, too.)

By Eric Lai
May 6, 2008 (Computerworld) Sun Microsystems Inc. has dropped its unpopular plan to charge for some features -- and their source code -- in its recently acquired MySQL database.

But the company, which bought MySQL AB in February for $1 billion, will continue to reserve some features of the open-source database only for paying users, according to a blog post on Tuesday by Kaj Arno, MySQL's vice president of community relations.

"To financially support MySQL's free and open-source platform, we have a business model which allows both community and commercial add-ons, and we remain committed to it," Arno wrote. "We believe the model to be useful for both those who spend money to save time, and those who spend time to save money."

The announcement was first made Monday by Marten Mickos, Sun's senior vice president, during a panel at the CommunityOne conference held in San Francisco in conjunction with Sun's annual JavaOne show.

Complete article.