http://monty-says.blogspot.com/2009/12/help-saving-mysql.html basically - oracle are in the process of buying Sun which now owns mysql and chances are, it will bury the project and make it die slowly (as it's in direct competition with it's own commercial DB products). since the EC has raised issues regarding how anti-competitive this move is, Oracle has been twisting the arm of its biggest customers to write to the EC and demand they unconditionally approve the takeover. this needs to be counter balanced - if you are based in EC and use mysql, send an email to - details are in the blog post - objecting to the takeover on whatever grounds you deem fit. this would be catastrophic for growth in the DB marketplace, it will drive prices up and performance down... imagine Microsoft wanting to buy Linux and assuring people that it will look after it well and get it to prosper...