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macOS Mac Database Servers

C

cblackburn

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 5, 2005
158
0
London, UK
Hi all,

I am writing an app for a customer and I need a relational database with SQL. My first thought was to use MySQL with mysql-cocoa to interface with it. This seems to be a non starter because I do not want to release the source code to my program.

What other alternatives are there for (relatively) cheap database servers that run on Mac OS X that I can interface with via Cocoa?

Thanks for your help

Chris
 
bousozoku

bousozoku

Moderator emeritus
Jun 25, 2002
15,698
1,872
Lard
InterBase/Firebird is a Borland product that went open source that's available for Mac OS X.

Valentina is another database that's been available on Mac OS X for a while and it's an object-relational hybrid.
 
jeremy.king

jeremy.king

macrumors 603
Jul 23, 2002
5,479
1
Holly Springs, NC
cblackburn said:
This seems to be a non starter because I do not want to release the source code to my program.
Click to expand...

Just because your application uses MySQL doesn't mean you have to release the source for your application. You would only have to release source if you are modifying the MySQL source code - but who's crazy enough to do that.

Some other alternatives not already mentioned include Apache Derby and PostgreSQL
 
C

cblackburn

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 5, 2005
158
0
London, UK
kingjr3 said:
Just because your application uses MySQL doesn't mean you have to release the source for your application. You would only have to release source if you are modifying the MySQL source code - but who's crazy enough to do that.
Click to expand...

The GPL states the following:-
2. You may modify your copy or copies of the Program or any portion of it, thus forming a work based on the Program, and copy and distribute such modifications or work under the terms of Section 1 above, provided that you also meet all of these conditions:

b) You must cause any work that you distribute or publish, that in whole or in part contains or is derived from the Program or any part thereof, to be licensed as a whole at no charge to all third parties under the terms of this License.
Click to expand...

I called the MySQL headquarters in the U.S. and they told me that anything which in any way links to libmysql must be either GPL or licensed from them.

The price that they quoted me was 429GBP per server the software connects to.

Chris
 
jeremy.king

jeremy.king

macrumors 603
Jul 23, 2002
5,479
1
Holly Springs, NC
If you don't distribute MySQL, you are free to use it as you want.

http://www.mysql.com/company/legal/licensing/opensource-license.html said:
Free use for those who never copy, modify or distribute. As long as you never distribute the MySQL Software in any way, you are free to use it for powering your application, irrespective of whether your application is under GPL license or not.
Click to expand...

I am guessing you want to bundle MySQL with your app so this wouldn't apply.

Of course if you call them, they will want you to buy a license. But if you don't want to hassle, just use something else. Worst case, you could just roll your own :eek:
 
C

cblackburn

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 5, 2005
158
0
London, UK
kingjr3 said:
If you don't distribute MySQL, you are free to use it as you want.
Click to expand...

This means that you can develop software that connects to MySQL and use it in house. However if you then distrobute your software you have to distrobute some form of libmysql. This counts as redistrobution and therefore requires a license.

I suppose I could reimplement libmysql myself but I think it would be less painful to just pay the license fee :).

Chris
 
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