Oracle Could Still Make ZFS A First-Class Upstream Linux File-System

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Oracle Could Still Make ZFS A First-Class Upstream Linux File-System

For many years Linux storage enthusiasts have dreamed of having the ZFS file-system part of the mainline Linux kernel. But since Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems that outlook has looked much more bleak that they would re-license the ZFS kernel code under a license compatible with the upstream GPLv2 Linux kernel. But an Oracle engineer presented today that the ZFS Linux dream might still come true...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?pag...17-Possibility

[strtj]

Given that Oracle's entire purchase of Sun was based on getting control of Sun's IP so that Oracle could sue Google, I'm not holding my breath.

[hajj_3]

Pigs will fly!

[starshipeleven]

I sincerely doubt that Oracle would start competing with its own puppy btrfs (yeah Oracle is backing it quite a bit) by porting the old dog ZFS.

I'd like that to happen tho. ZFS is good for its intended purpose, and stable.

[uid313]

Mark Maybee says that maybe it could possibly happen. Maybe.

[pal666]

there is a possibility that pigs will fly

[eidolon]

Hopefully it meets with better luck than teaching poodles how to fly. Sometimes it takes them a little longer to learn how to do it right.

[sdack]

Looks like one little piggy made up its mind to take to the skies.

Considering how unlikely it is for this to happen is this exactly the sort of careful talk, which is needed for managers to rethink their position and to embrace a change as if it was their own idea. Good job!

[dwagner]

Oracle still being Oracle tells me that if they integrate ZFS into Linux, the only reason for them doing so would be in order to sue the shit out of anyone using Linux soon thereafter.

Seriously, Oracle is like a 110% incarnation of pure corporate evil, and nobody should be fooled into taking any "gift" from them for whatever reason. Those would be poisoned gifts at best.

[audir8]

I wonder how much relicensing Java from the SCSL to GPL-2 and not re-licensing Solaris and ZFS from CDDL to GPL-2 has had an effect on the projects successes after Oracle bought Sun. Also, if Linus Torvalds had been more accepting of ZFS in Linux at the time, things might have turned out differently too. Sun management wanted ZFS on Linux, about the same way that Intel or AMD contribute to Linux.

Interesting thought experiment anyways. I'm not sure what would've saved Sun, but I think it did open source more than any other company, and seeing licensing hold back ZFS and Solaris is a little sad, when projects like Java, Virtualbox, LibreOffice, even MariaDB are doing fine.