There are two real issues about MySQL:

a. Who will install and support it? This is a real issue;

Dee intends to contract with Don for support, but that will mean that Don be given access to programs within the Emerson network. Dee forces Emerson to let Don in the network—an action that exposes Emerson to serious security risks, as stated in the annotations for Chapter 4.

b. What sort of license does Emerson need?

Because Emerson is using it for commercial purposes, it may need to obtain a commercial license. However, MySQL is distributed under the GPL, so if Movable Type is open-source, then MySQL would be license-free. Even if Emerson needs a commercial license, such a license will be relatively inexpensive ($600 or so per year).

c. Chapter Extension 21 (not included in the Essentials book) on accounting for and financing information systems, discusses total cost of ownership. I don’t think I’d complicate the discussion here, however, with licensing issues. Just explain that Don or the Emerson IT department has to find out what is required.

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