Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Lamp/Wamp threat?

The Lamp/Wamp stack - Linux or Windows, the Apache webserver, MySQL and PHP, the structure behind most internet software, including most blogging platforms, is in a sudden state of flux. MySQL has been acquired by Sun.

Sun has its own rival web development platform - OpenSolaris, Apache, MySQL, and Java. Until now, MySQL has been issued under a dual licence, and the majority of installations have used the 'Community', or Open Source license. It's free. Now Sun might try to steer people to Solaris instead of Linux, and Java instead of PHP.

I can see several flies in the ointment. People use whichever platform they damn well please, so Sun will have to be diplomatic and add value. Most importantly, the LAMP stack has an alternative configuration - LAPP. Linux, Apache, PostgreSQL and PHP.Porting an application to PostgreSQL might be a lot of work, or it might be straightforward. It depends how the scripts are constructed. But porting to Java would be a bigger deal.

I think Sun will wind up accepting they're not going to take over the LAMP market share. The danger would then be that MySQL starts stagnating. Until now it has been a dynamic business, but it hasn't been a no longer necessary part of the portfolio of a larger company.

I hope that doesn't happen, but I'm glad PostgreSQL might start being more widely used. It's a better database.

2 comments:

cabalamat said...

As you point out MySQL is open source; in particular it is licensed under the GPL.

This means that Sun are forced to stay honest, because if they try to mess people about, MySQL will just get forked.

Sun know this, and I therefore don't anticipate they will do anything stupid.

Anonymous said...

I can't see SUN seeking to damage MySQL, they are getting too committed to open source. I see this as an attempt to increase their presence in that part of the market.

I gotta say tho, anything which enhances a Solaris presence it the freebies market is a good thing; it will lift the market considerably. I would use Solaris by choice if it had a greater level of support from the opensource producers. As it is, I use FreeBSD when I can, and only use Linux when I really have no other choice. Lets face it, both Solaris and *BSD are better, more solid, operating systems than any Linux.

Just as a side issue, WAMP? Apache on Windows? Are you completely bereft of all sanity?