How do you programmatically create an empty database?

[Lynn Fredricks]

> Mark is probably aware of this already but just a heads up 
> for those not familiar with MySQL licensing. MySQL is not 
> necessarily free to use in your projects.
> 
> Recently I spoke with an Oracle licensing rep as I was going 
> to distribute a product that interfaced with MySQL, 
> PostgreSQL or SQL Server based on what the customer already 
> had installed. For my situation (application built in 
> LiveCode, selling to customers)I was told that I must 
> purchase licenses that I then resell to my customers. This is 
> true even if the customer already has their own MySQL 
> licenses. I have to sell them a license for use with my 
> product. Also, you cannot buy single licenses from Oracle, 
> you must buy in bulk. I ended up dropping MySQL as one of the 
> database offerings because of the licensing terms.

MySQL AB's original business model was very clever, and Oracle being the
king of business models is already seasoning it to taste more like Oracle.
Some of these changes you'll find on my blog:

http://www.lynnfredricks.com/2010/11/10/mysql-customers-paying-the-price-of-
oracle-ownership/

http://www.lynnfredricks.com/2010/11/15/java-7-sounds-like-a-curious-case-of
-the-dog-in-the-night/

MySQL has never been completely free, and its always been built around a
model where a sales rep can assertain just how much you can pay. My
understanding is that offering MySQL is not free for ISPs either.

If you are in the commercial space, the licensing information on the site
has always been rather opaque, with commercial vendors told that they should
either pay up or contact MySQL AB (original MySQL owners) for information.

By calling, you are pre-qualifying yourself as a commercial developer who
has invested in their technology - not only have you saved them a
significant amount of money in lead generation, but you've also acknowledged
that its likely you've made already some small or considerable investment in
implementation. On the flip side, if you try to get away with not paying for
your licenses, and are caught, they have you over a barrel when it comes to
negotiation.

Oracle is doing something though that's contrary to the MySQL way (but 100%
Oracle), and that's trimming away the potentially low value transactions. As
Trevor says, you have to buy in bulk. As I detailed above, they've dropped
their two lowest cost offerings. They are grooming customers to either pay
more, or to get out.

Best regards,

Lynn Fredricks
President
Paradigma Software
http://www.paradigmasoft.com

Valentina SQL Server: The Ultra-fast, Royalty Free Database Server