[Tfug] Database licensing theory

[Glen Pfeiffer]

On 24 Dec 2009, Paul Steinbach wrote:
> We are looking a possible database migration.  From a legal 
> standpoint,  what is the "source code" of a database?  We use 
> an application that  runs on an Oracle 9i database using an 
> application specific full use  Enterprise Edition license.  My 
> gut reaction is that the table structure  is not source code 
> but that all the functions, procedures, triggers,  constraints, 
> etc are part of the source code and would be protected by  the 
> application license.  What are your thoughts?

I'm not 100% sure that I understand your question correctly.

Here is my interpretation of your question:

Are all the functions, procedures, packages, triggers, views, 
etc. that *you* created in your database owned by you? Or are 
they not owned by you because they are protected by the database 
server's license?

This is the first time I have considered this question. So my 
thoughts may not be very clear. I also have not read the 
licensing agreement for Oracle 9i.

But I believe that all the code you write, unless it is modifying 
the database server application itself, is owned by you. Stored 
procedures, etc., do not modify or extend the database server's 
core functionality. You are storing your code in its repository, 
which it is meant to do. Application code that you write, php, 
ruby, perl, C, C++, etc., is all owned by you even if it is 
manipulating the data in the database. I see no reason for code 
that is stored in the database to be treated differently.

Does that help?

-- 
Glen