From the 'I wonder what Oracle will do now?' files:

MySQL Founder Monty Widenius left Sun back in February to pursue his own vision for MySQL. We now have more insight into what that vision is all about.

Widenius today launched the "Open Database Alliance" which is intended to be a vendor-neutral consortium for the MySQL open source database and derivative code.

One such derivative is Widenius' MariaDB which is a fork of MySQL run by Widenius.

"Our goal with the Open Database Alliance is to provide a central clearinghouse for MySQL development, to encourage a true open development environment with community participation, and to ensure that MySQL code remains extremely high quality," Widenius said in a statement.

This could prove to be a very big deal in my opinion.

If the Open Database Alliance grows to include all those that feel dis-enfranchised by Oracle's management of MySQL (when they take over), Widenius has now given them a safe haven. As a commerical enterprise the new Alliance could also end up being a new home for the MySQL ecosystem, essentially stripping Oracle of a billion dollar asset.

Then again, it might not.

Sun makes its money from MySQL by way of commercial support that its organization can provide. Widenuis organization at present does not compare to the size, scale and scope of Sun's support (and soon Oracle) operations or sales operations.

What this move does prove though is that the open source model does work. Code can be forked, it can be supported by more than one company and if users want a choice they have one to make. You can't do that with proprietary software.