My SQL Dump

Another reason to GPL the MySQL docs - the site goes down and documentation is suddenly unavailable.

: swanhart; July 22nd, 2009

Fix your licensing model so that mirrors can legally maintain copies of your documentation, so that I'm not left sitting in the dark when your website goes down.

What if Oracle shut MySQL down today? They absolutely could. With the documentation not in the GPL, when Oracle pulls the plug on the websites, well, goodbye docs. It isn't legal to mirror them elsewhere.

Tags: downtime, gpl, mysql fools, mysql website

( 9 comments — Leave a comment )

Yeah

(Anonymous)

2009-07-22 08:10 pm (UTC)

Whats up with the mysql site anyway?
Oracle are clearly imitating other governments tactic to block the internet just before they plan to do something O.o

Re: Yeah

swanhart

2009-07-22 08:12 pm (UTC)

They say there is a power outage in Sweden. I don't know if the data center is experiencing a generator problem, as I assume MySQL has their web site in a datacenter with A/B UPS power backed by a generator. I hope they do.

Not really..

leithal.myopenid.com

2009-07-23 10:55 am (UTC)

We have mirrors on the docs.sun.com site, maybe bookmark this site too:

http://docs.sun.com/source/mysql-refman-5.1/index.html

The Oracle conspiracy theories are kinda funny. :)

We had issues with overloaded power in the building - we're moving a lot to a new colo, give us time to get things straight.. Meanwhile, docs are available elsewhere! ;)

Cheers,

Mark

Re: Not really..

swanhart

2009-07-23 06:35 pm (UTC)

Thanks Mark.

I didn't mean to suggest that Oracle pulled the plug (literally). It just demonstrates the point that they could.

The dual license model sickens me to the core (I'm pretty sure my employer does NOT share that opinion) and the lack of open source documentation is deplorable.

awfief

2009-07-23 01:59 pm (UTC)

It's certainly legal to mirror them, if you are granted permission.

swanhart

2009-07-23 06:32 pm (UTC)

Yes, and that permission can be rescinded at any time.

The docs must be GPL. Nobody is going to convince me otherwise.

awfief

2009-07-23 07:05 pm (UTC)

I wasn't trying to convince you otherwise. I would also like the documentation GPL'd.

However, you said it's not legal to mirror the pages, and I was responding to *that*. There are existing mirrors (both wned by Sun and not), that have permission to mirror the content. I was just trying to make your statement accurate.

awfief

2009-07-23 07:08 pm (UTC)

BTW, if you don't want to be left in the dark, you can download a copy of the documentation. I do that and keep a copy of it for my use and then when I can't get to the website (such as when I'm not online, which happened a bunch when I was writing the book) or just don't want to load up the website (like when I'm doing a lot of uploads/downloads).

awfief

2009-07-23 07:17 pm (UTC)

hrm, just read the docs, see my latest post at http://www.pythian.com/news/3444/dependence-on-mysql-documentation

Apparently it's completely legal to mirror them. And while I agree with you that GPL'ing the docs is a good idea, "having a copy of the docs when the site goes down" isn't actually a valid reason. (ie, the title of your post)

I'm glad to learn that!

( 9 comments — Leave a comment )