Re: Perpetuating the myth...annoying

On Apr 5, 2004, at 5:59 PM, Peter Eisentraut wrote:

> Joshua D. Drake wrote:
>>> Just an idea, why don't we run a postgresql vs mysql benchmark ? I
>> We might get in trouble with their (MySQL) trademark guys with this:
>
> Trademark law only says that you cannot use someone else's trademark to
> label a similar product.  Nothing there can stop you from using the
> product for any purpose including running benchmarks, or from reporting
> facts or opinions or lies about the product.  That is a matter of
> copyright law, press regulations and/or the criminal code.
>
Commercial database products, such as Oracle and MS SQL Server get
around this by making it a part of their license that you cannot
publish benchmarks without their approval.  Since you can get MySQL
under the GPL, then their only protection in this matter is trademark
(and I guess, libel if they wanted to get nasty), which is, IMHO &
IANAL, much weaker protection.

Adam Ruth