From:	 Marten Mickos <marten@mysql.com>
To:	 lwn@lwn.net
Subject: MYSQL PRESS RELEASE 12 JULY 2001
Date:	 Thu, 12 Jul 2001 17:04:35 +0300

THIS PRESS RELEASE IS FREE FOR PUBLICATION IMMEDIATELY

SUMMARY: Obscure mysql.ORG website likely to confuse the worldwide 
community of users of the MySQL™ database server. MySQL AB as the rightful 
owner of the MySQL™ product and mark takes action to stop trademark 
violations and misrepresentation.


MYSQL COMMUNITY THREATENED BY OBSCURE .ORG WEBSITE


Uppsala, Sweden, 12 July 2001 - Open source software company MySQL AB today 
announced that an unauthorised party has set up a website on www.mysql.ORG 
in direct violation of the trademark rights of MySQL AB and with the 
apparent goal to confuse the huge worldwide community of MySQL users.

Michael "Monty" Widenius and David Axmark, co-founders of MySQL AB and the 
creators of this world-leading open source database software commented "We 
normally welcome new sites that focus on the MySQL™ server, but this one 
violates our trademark and may lead users to wrongfully believe it 
represents the people behind the MySQL™ server. We were not contacted about 
this website and it operates without our authorisation. We cannot recommend 
anybody to visit that site."

The obscure .ORG site claims to offer free services, but a registration is 
needed for downloading the software that apparently has been copied from 
the official MySQL.com website. The .ORG site fails to display information 
of the people or organisations behind it. The domain was registered in the 
name of NuSphere Corporation, a subsidiary of Progress Software Corporation 
(NASDAQ: PRGS), on 4 June 2001. Both companies sell proprietary, non-open 
software.

The original and official MySQL.com website of MySQL AB is immensely 
popular and serves millions of users with free software, free information, 
and an opportunity for visitors to contribute comments and other things, 
such as additional tools and utilities. No registration is required for 
accessing MySQL.com. In addition, the MySQL™ server is a popular topic on 
several other open source websites such as Slashdot.

Yahoo! has been using MySQL™ servers in mission-critical applications for 
several years. Jeremy Zawodny, a member of the MySQL user community and an 
engineer at Yahoo! commented "I really don't see the need for the MySQL.org 
Web site. The MySQL.com site already contains a wealth of information and 
software from the MySQL developers and members of the community. I worry 
that the introduction of this Web site will confuse new users and 
potentially fracture or otherwise harm the MySQL user community."

Marten Mickos, newly appointed CEO of MySQL AB, commented "We consider 
operating the mysql.ORG site illegal activity and we are taking steps to 
enforce our trademark and other rights." In respect to how the MySQL™ 
community is served, he said "We will continue to serve existing and new 
MySQL™ users with software under GPL and free information without requiring 
registration. Our new 'portals' present an even wider array of useful 
information and services, and users are free to comment on the items there. 
At the same time, we have the best commercial support services for the 
MySQL™ server and as the owners of the software we are the only ones who 
can sell commercial licences."


MySQL AB develops, supports and markets the MySQL™ database server 
worldwide. MySQL AB, the sole owner of the MySQL™ trademark, is fully 
committed to the Open Source philosophy and to making MySQL™ available and 
affordable for all. MySQL AB is a Swedish privately held  company 
co-founded by David Axmark, Allan Larsson and Michael Widenius. MySQL™ is a 
trademark of MySQL AB in the US, Sweden, and other countries, and is 
registered in Sweden and 13 other countries.

Other names are trademarks of their respective owners.

For more information, please visit www.mysql.com or write to press@mysql.com.

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