Stake Ventures

Have you tried dev.mysql.com – full of free information about MySQL and MySQL 5.0 and the new features?

Look for instance here: http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/mysql-5-0-nutshell.html

And we would love to see you write your own column or article on this – to the benefit of all the rest in the community.

Kind regards,

Marten Mickos, MySQL AB

Sure, it look similar to this:

http://www.postgresql.org/docs/7.3/interactive/release-7-3.html

Think that was about 3 years ago… ;-)

Marten,

I am fully aware of where I can find the technical information. But when I go to the home page of a cool company that I would normally support and get hit in the head with a registration wall on my first click off the homepage, it really worries me. It worries me more that a new mysql user would be hit by this, as I do believe in your technology and company.

The MySQL technical docs are great and very respectful to the technical people out here, but this level of respect for customers should be had throughout the company including marketing and business development or I find it hard to believe they can make a sale to anyone but the most clueless companies.

Make registration optional, like when you download your software. That is much more respectfull.

Pelle, I hear you and I understand you, but I cannot say that I agree with you. Our customers regularily tell us that they feel well served and respected by us – often more so than with other DBMS vendors.

The information we get through those registrations is very useful as we target our business and learn what customers want. And we get a ton of business as well – from happy customers, I might add. At the same time, there is an abundance of free information for everyone – on our site and on other sites. Planetmysql.org is a good starting point for such info.

If I were in the MySQL community as you are, I think my thinking would be “Great – MySQL has figured out a way to capture the paying customers and grow the business. This will benefit me in new and enhanced GPL software being released continually.”

But if you have a better method for building a successful open source business – I am all ears!

Marten

Marten,

I really do agree with you that you have a good product and generally yoru company does get the ClueTrain but in this case I’m sorry you don’t.

Try and run some internal statistics on the people who click on one of those whitepaper links and don’t follow up with a registration. I can only imagine the amount of lost leads you have by placing the registration wall on the page.

And I know that there are lots of great sources for open info about MySql, but that is not the point. The point is that an Oracle or MS SQL Server user who reads about your new release in PCWeek goes to your site and then gives up because he can’t be bothered filling out the form. At the very least provide a link to MySQL 5 in a nutshell to not lose them completely.

Pelle

Pelle, thx, good point. I can’t promise we will change it but I will ask our guys about it.

Marten

Lame. Customers who want newsletters, update notices, contact from representatives, etc. will sign up for these services. The rest of us will be annoyed.

Provision of valuable software is the only justifiable reason I can see for requiring an email address. To be honest, I use a one time email address for such sign ups.

I have not read the paper; however, it had best be worthwhile because customers would be unhappy if the paper is not relevant after having to provide an email address.

Marten, having to fill in a registration form to view new features on the front page is really annoying. It discouraged me from learning more about MySQL 5.0, although I enjoyed using MySQL for years before I came to Sun. See <a href=”http://blogs.sun.com/roller/page/roumen?entry=mysql_5_0_why_do” rel=”nofollow”>my blog entry</a> on this topic.