BusinessWeek reports MySQL continuing with their IPO preparations. As a long-time user (about ten years now), and almost as long-time customer (in many companies, obviously currently and most significantly Sulake and Habbo), I wish you guys the best of luck on that road. Don't lose your sight of the ballgame while doing that -- we need you to continue to do better with the product itself while the distractions of investor communications will be great.

I'm sure we can all name a few nuisances in every software product we use, and I certainly have a few of those of the MySQL database, but what I really admire the guys for is their approach to innovating in the sales and customer relationships, or in the business of software. It's so much easier to deal with an Open Source project and vendor than with proprietary, old world software vendors, that I'm always willing to overlook a few problems in the product itself. It's not like the proprietary products aren't without their share of problems, either -- and ultimately, what counts is how much you have to suffer while trying to work around that. I get to add a new note on both sides of the coin to that experience nearly every day, and it's not common for proprietary vendors to win that game.