MariaDB MaxScale 2.0

2016: New model of licensing of software

In August, 2016 it became known of a release of the MariaDB MaxScale 2.0 platform which will become the first product using the new license Business Source License (BSL) developed by co-founders of MySQL Michael Widenius and David Axmark

This alternative of the Open Core model assumes that products in which BSL is applied will be delivered with the code of advanced functionality, open and available to changes. At the same time the code can be used free of charge only under certain conditions which bypass will require purchase of the commercial license. Limits are lifted after the expiration of the date specified in the license, and the code begins to be delivered under one of free licenses.

Founders of MySQL created new model of licensing of software

As explains the TechCrunch edition, in a sense BSL is similar to conditional and free (Freemium) model of software distribution at which money comes additional product capabilities. BSL allows developers to expose restrictions for the number of servers, processors, etc. which are supported them by products at commercial use (when testing software of such restrictions is not present).

At first sight such model can seem similar to the standard commercial license, however in a case with BSL all source code is available at any time, and the license has validity period, TechCrunch notes.

It can create absolutely new ecosystem — Michael Videnius says. — Even if you do not receive source codes at once, we will create more than the opened applications in the future.

BSL is compromise option between advantages of Open Source to the user, such as free of charge, availability of the code and possibility of modification, and requirements of developers for profit earning for financing of maintenance of a product and development of new opportunities.^[1]

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