Re: Sun buys MySQL

[Ron Peterson <ron(dot)peterson(at)yellowbank(dot)com>]

2008-01-16_22:03:11-0500 "Joshua D. Drake" <jd(at)commandprompt(dot)com>:
> Ron Peterson wrote:
> >2008-01-16_18:23:31-0500 Josh Berkus <josh(at)agliodbs(dot)com>:
> >>Ron,
> 
> >That's not the kind of world I inhabit, so I'm certainly no expert on
> >these matters, but it's certainly something to chew on.  "PostgreSQL
> >Developers Make Good" is a headline I wouldn't mind seeing someday.
> 
> You realize that a corporation is able to donate money any time they want?

Really?  I didn't know that.  :)

My suspicion is that most corporations don't believe such donations
would have the same benefit to the corporation as an outright purchase.

Sun, for example, can now claim to be _the_ definitive provider of MySQL
support services, rather than merely being one of many sponsors.  That
is the return on their investment.  There are plenty of PHB's who want
so-called "enterprise" support, and who will pay good money for it.
Where should they buy that support for MySQL?  Sun, of course.

A purchase gives Sun a certain exclusivity that they could never buy
with a mere donation.

-- 
Ron Peterson
https://www.yellowbank.com/