well im a layman and no nothing really about the ins and outs of who owns what a language and what runs on what etc.

http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2009/04/oracle-acquires-sun-ars-explores-the-impact-on-open-source.ars

generally speaking consolidation has an balancing effect. Divergent technology paths and a industry made up of thousands of small mid sized companies can help innovation and can be good for Darwinian style market section . But on the other hand consolidation and monopolies can help spread common standards and economies of scale can also help with prices - we wouldn't have such cheap computers widely available if it wasn't for Microsoft's windows or IBM. As long as we vary from one side to the other the pace of change should keep pretty exciting.

its not really related but i wanted to ask kestas this, if Avalon Hill decided to open a its own Online diplomacy with subscription fees...could they take phpdip and dip pouch etc etc to court to get them taken down? could they win?

I think they could.
More worrying to me are the fact playdiplomacy is still growing, and phpdiplomacy.com has been taken by someone, who could easy use it basically as a phishing site for our visitors.

A major unix variant coupled with oracle DB and front-end applications sounds like a winner. Both platforms may be used to enhance each others market penetration.

MySQL will remain free... oracle may up the charge for support, but I think it'll give out a bigger market to smaller companies that can't afford Oracle enterprise databases, so that's a big plus to oracle...

The Unix market is just a new branch on oracle... dunno what will happen there. With the rise of linux, you almost wonder if Oracle will open source Sun to compete with IBM's linux business...

I'm a Java architect by profession, so java is my main worry. I don't feel anything negative will happen (heck, they may even throw some more money into it to help improve it faster)...

And, as far as Avalon Hill... if they decided that online diplomacy is hurting their business, they can send a cease and desist letter to ALL the online dip sites, including this one, and everyone would be forced to shut it down. In fact, that's a typical business practice. I think Avalon Hill, though, decided that having this out in the open is GOOD for diplomacy... gets more people into it and addicted to it, so that they may actually go out and buy the board...

"A major unix variant coupled..."

The Sun OS will likely be discontinued. Sun sold software very cheaply or gave it away at no cost simply to sell their very good but expensive hardware.

forget the above post is there. I misunderstood something.

The problem is not whether MySQL remains free - it has to. The problem is if MySQL remains. period. Oracle could strangle it. There was a recent fork, so keep an eye on Drizzle, which is at least morally supported by MySQL's founder.

I've seen analysis from both sides - Oracle will kill MySQL, Oracle will leverage MySQL and grow it. I can't tell you anything except that it will probably me called LarrysSQL pretty soon.

i think this is the end of java technology

> Oracle could strangle it.
Yup this is my worry too. I don't think InnoDB or BDB have been worked on since Oracle acquired them, and it's hard to think how MySQL could be anything other than a hindrance to Oracle.
Also as someone else said Oracle makes its money on support more than anything, and that means ease-of-use becomes a liability

I think Java will live on strong, I think Java and MySQL are probably Sun's two most attractive assets, but unlike MySQL Oracle wouldn't gain anything from killing Java. (But what about JavaFX, Java Mobile Edition, etc?)


What worries me is that Oracle bought Sun because they felt they had to control MySQL no matter what the price, and to get it they had to buy Sun whole. If MySQL is what it's all about, plus perhaps Java app server tech, then a pretty diverse, open company could die
SCO is probably the only company that I'd be less happy to see acquire Sun. If only IBM could have worked it out..

> if Avalon Hill decided to open a its own Online diplomacy with
> subscription fees...could they take phpdip and dip pouch etc etc to
> court to get them taken down? could they win?
Yup I think so. It wouldn't be the end of phpDip, as an FOSS project there is some built-in resistance to legal issues, since new servers can spring up much faster than a legal process could take them down.
(Besides if they wanted an official site maybe they'd use phpDip code, which would be awesome, instead of starting from scratch)

But this is all hypothetical because as others have commented they've been pro-community since the internet started, and as long as we don't do what Scrabulous did and start making far more money than they make it wouldn't be worth raising a fuss over