MySQL founder creates Open Database Alliance

Monty Widenius, the main author of MySQL, has announced he is setting up the Open Database Alliance (ODA) to consolidate work on the open database.
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The ODA will consist of a set of companies offering software, support and services for MariaDB, an enterprise-grade, community-developed branch of MySQL. MySQL serices company Percona is the first to join.

"Our goal with the Open Database Alliance is to provide a central clearinghouse for MySQL development, to encourage a true open development environment with community participation, and to ensure that MySQL code remains extremely high quality," said Widenius.

"Participating members at this stage in the 'Alliance' will have a strong voice in how the organization is structured, and we look forward to collaborating with anyone in the industry that provides or depends on MySQL."

Sun bought the group behind MySQL last year and Widenius stayed with the company to sort out problems with MySQL 5.1. However, he quit in February, citing the slow pace of Sun.

The ODA will be trying to consolidate MySQL talent in the face of Oracle’s purchase of Sun. Oracle is one of the main competitors to MySQL and some in the development community fear that the company will do its best to sabotage the database.

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BY Iain Thomson in San Francisco
Source：vnunet.com

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