Oracle wiped out $700m of Red Hat's market capitalization when the database vendor unveiled that it would offer support for Red Hat Linux at a lower price that Red Hat's subscriptions.

But although the offering provided a competitive threat to Red Hat, it also validated the vendor's status as the world's leading Linux distributor.

MySQL wouldn't mind receiving a similar kiss of death, the firm's CEO Marten Mickos told Comptuer Business Review.

The story actually goes further by stating that "Oracle has suggested it will offer support for the MySQL code, undercutting the company, and Oracle is already distributing the open source database management system."

29 Jan 2007

Mickos however was quick to refute the story's most blatant claim. Oracle has never suggested that it would offer support for the open source database.

And when it comes to distributing the database, that has been the case ever since Oracle started distributing Red Hat Enterprise Linux. The database after all is bundled with the Linux distribution. But turning that into a distribution agreement is like stating that Ford is in the gasoline refinery business, just because it there is gas in the vehicles that people buy.

"I never said that Oracle has threatened MySQL.(I think this may have been the writer's editorial comment)," Mickos said in an emailed statement. "Instead, I view it as a positive thing that Oracle distributes MySQL. I have often suggested that Oracle should distribute MySQL and I've made the same suggestion to Microsoft. Perhaps Oracle, Microsoft or IBM will provide support for MySQL and that could be good for open source in general. (And note that Red Hat, HP and others already do so.)"

It's just another case of watching an experienced spin doctor at work.

Mickos