Dec
04
2009
451 Group survey highlights user concerns over Oracle’s proposed ownership of MySQL
Posted by The 451 Group on Fri 04 Dec 2009 11:57 UTC
Tags:

Everyone seems to have an opinion about whether Oracle should be allowed to acquire the MySQL database along with Sun Microsystems including former MySQL/Sun executives, developers, rivals, partners, analysts, journalists, the Department of Justice and even US Senators. What do open source software users think?

We asked the members of the “CAOS user community”* to tell what they thought of the proposed deal, as well as share some details on current database usage. The results have been published in the form of a 451 Group report (subscribers only) but here’s some of the headline figures:

  • The use of MySQL is expected to decline from 82.1% of the 347 respondents today as 78.7% expect to be using it in 2011, declining to 72.3% 2014.
  • The proposed acquisition of MySQL by Oracle has a part to play in that decline. 15% of all open source users and 14.4% of current MySQL users responded that they would be less likely to use MySQL if it is acquired by Oracle.
  • MariaDB usage is expected to rise from zero usage today to 3.5% of all users in 2011 and 3.7% in 2014
  • The majority - 57.9% of all users and 63.9% of MySQL users - indicated that they would continue to use MySQL where appropriate, however.
  • The negative attitude towards Oracle is specific to concerns over its future plans for MySQL, however. Oracle Database usage is expected to rise from 19.3% today to 19.6% in 2011 and 21.6% in 2014.
  • PostgreSQL usage is also expected to grow, from 27.1% of all users today to 30.5% in 2011, remaining at the same level in 2014.
  • 6.3% of all open source users and 5.6% of MySQL users are more likely to use MySQL if it is acquired by Oracle.
  • 17.6% of all respondents and 16.8% of MySQL users stated that they thought that Oracle should be allowed to keep MySQL.
  • 32.6% of all respondents and 34.0% of MySQL users stated that Oracle should hand the database to an independent foundation to continue its development.
  • Just 4.3% of all respondents and 3.9% of MySQL users thought that Oracle should be forced to sell it to another vendor, which is the preferred option of the most vocal opponents to Oracle’s impending ownership of MySQL
  • In comparison 13.8% of all respondents and 12.3% of MySQL users said they did not care either what happened to MySQL.

Further survey results, analysis and details on the respondents are available in the 451 Group’s report.

*The survey was completed by 347 open source software users who are among the 1,000-plus members of the “CAOS open source user community”. It includes open source software users from every geography, industry and business size. Just below 16% of the CAOS open source user community claim to be nonpaying open source users, as opposed to customers of open source support services and related products. Users do not have to be 451 Group customers to be part of the community.