SUN Sets On MySQL Monty Leaves SUN

Last year rumors abounded about the relationship with MySQL founder Monty and his new boss, SUN Micro systems after the much publicized sale of the MySQL database. Now these rumors have been borne out as Monty has parted ways with SUN citing issues about the pace of development in some key areas.

The sale of MySQL to SUN was greeted with mixed sentiment by the open source community as was reported on PHPRO in This article. However, this had little or no impact on the adoption numbers for MySQL and many could see the positive aspects of the sale as the MySQL development would continue to be headed up Monty. Now ever, things have changed.

Monty has quoted on his blog "I am not satisfied with the way the MySQL server has been developed", and general allusions to SUN failing to grasp the open source development ethos, with regards to its marketing of MySQL as a product and revenue stream within itself, rather than embracing newer marketing techniques which are the backbone of the open source developers community. Monty has said of SUN's marketing that it is a very 1990's approach.

For many, the split was only a matter of time, following the rumors last year, however, the sun is not setting on Monty's MySQL development, and will continue to develop the Maria engine within a truly open development model.

The Maria engine for MyISAM is approaching 2.0 release and without the constraints imposed by SUN, the new transactional engine will be development will go forward in true open source tradition.

For more on what Monty is up to, read his blog at http://monty-says.blogspot.com/2009/02/time-to-move-on.html.