So I do not quite get it. Where is the technical difference between the Enterprise and the Community Server of MySQL now that MySQL AB has effectively back paddled from their commitment made with the initial split? If the Community Server now does not get new shiny features and be stable like the Enterprise Server, where is the difference? Jeremy is asking the same question. Where is the new test bed for community contributions?

It all seems to boil down to either there is none and MySQL AB has effectively gone back to status quo, leaving the Enterprise server as a way to make their paying customers feel like they are getting something more, where they are really just paying for the service of getting compiled binaries (which might still be worth it to them). This in turn again begs the question if MySQL AB is doing itself a favor by straying form the old mantra of having non paying users use the same binaries as their paying customers to ensure that their paying customers are getting the most tested releases possible, which they lost with the recent split. Or there is a significant difference (like security and other fixes taking a few months extra to make it into the Community Server). Someone please tell me what it is?!?

It seems like MySQL AB is turning itself into the worst FUD machine against itself! Someone on IRC just said something important to remember here: "if we (as relatively closed from them or their product, historically) are confused, I can't imagine what the lambda users will think." Personally I think MySQL AB would best serve all parties involved if it would focus on providing value added on top of the core database product to its Enterprise customers like their knowledge base, the monitoring tools and a throat to choke. But I guess they are shooting for a bigger pie once they do their IPO. So it goes.

At any rate, the important piece for me that eases some of the worries caused by this confusion is that the Enterprise server remains GPL. This means that anyone who does purchase a commercial license can just as well put the source online (though advertising this URL too much should not be done without securing funding for a fat pipe beforehand). I do not know if they will/have close off their BK tree as Mike fears, but this way MySQL AB is still far away from being proprietary or fishy OSS like SugarCRM and Zimbra.

Hi Lukas,

Regarding your last points, we are already providing a mirror containing the enterprise sources, and we have a fat pipe. :)

http://mirror.provenscaling.com/mysql/enterprise/source/5.0/

Regards,

Jeremy