Re: [Plug] Re: SQL Databases

[Hugh Brock <hbrock@ibm.net>]

Kyle Burton wrote:
> 
> I know you can get a copy of Oracle for free...at least you could before.
> And as far as I know, Oracle on linux is unrestricted -- I think they
> were trying to get people to use it, and buy the support contracts after
> the fact.
> 
> I've seen people with copies of the Oracle for linux cd (and Oracle
> application server for that matter).  I know some people who went to an oracle
> convention, and picked both up for free (oracle was giving them away).
> 
> I've used oracle under linux, and even though it's closed source, and
> you have to pay for the commerical support (which is a good thing IMO),
> it's the most industrial stringth [enterprise] database I've laid my
> hands on
> 
> for comparison, I've used [at least installed and tried] mysql, msql,
> postgress, interbase, and sybase under linux.  Orace is for real.
> http://lists.nothinbut.net/mail/listinfo/plug

AFAIK Oracle for Linux is available for free for development purposes.
According to my sales rep, however (who may of course be an idiot, who
knows), if you want to use Oracle for Linux in any kind of production
way (either internally or behind a web server) you're supposed to buy a
license. If you were a small company you used to be able to get away
with buying a five-seat license and running a webserver with it; they
weren't too strict about it, even though it violated the "multiplexing"
clause in the license. Lately however they have introduced MIPS-based
pricing for the web server license. My rep quoted me $5,000 for a
two-year license on a PII-400, which is kind of ridiculous, although not
compared to the prices large companies pay.

The bottom line, however, and IMHO as always, is this: if you're
operating a business and you're serious about your data, buy Oracle. If
you're not operating a business, use Oracle for free. If you're
operating a business and you're not serious about your data, you're
probably in the wrong business <g>...

--Hugh

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