GNU/Linux distributions matter, and Debian is one of the most popular ones out there in terms of user base. Its an interesting time as MariaDB Server becomes more divergent compared to upstream MySQL, and people go about choosing default providers of the database.
The MariaDB Server original goals were to be a drop-in replacement. In fact this is how its described (“It is an enhanced, drop-in replacement for MySQL”). We all know that its becoming increasingly hard for that line to be used these days.
Anyhow in March 2016, Debian’s release team has made the decision that going forward, MariaDB Server is what people using Debian Stretch get, when they ask for MySQL (i.e. MariaDB Server is the default provider of an application that requires the use of port 3306, and provides a MySQL-like protocol).
All this has brought some interesting bug reports and discussions, so here’s a collection of links that interest me (with decisions that will affect Debian users going forward).
Connectors
- MySQL ODBC in Stretch – do follow the thread
[debian-mysql] final decision about MySQL r-deps needed / cleaning up the MySQL mess– yes, the MySQL C++ connector is not the same as the MariaDB Connector/C. And let’s not forget the things that depend on the C++ connector, i.e. libreoffice-mysql-connector. Rene Engelhard started this excellent thread with questions that could do with answers.
MariaDB Server
- Don’t include in stretch – bug#837615 – this is about how MariaDB Server 10.0 (note the version – this matters) should be included, but MySQL 5.6 shouldn’t be.
- MariaDB 10.1? – note that Otto Kekäläinen, CEO of the MariaDB Foundation, says the plan is to skip MariaDB Server 10.1 and go straight to MariaDB Server 10.2. As of this writing, MariaDB Server 10.2 is in its first beta released 27 Sep 2016, so are we expecting a few more betas before the release candidate? History shows there were four betas for 10.1 and one release candidate, while there were three betas and two release candidates of 10.0. There is no response here as to what is gained from skipping MariaDB Server 10.1, but one can guess that this has to do with support cycles.
- default-mysql-client forces removal of mysql-server* and mysql-client* – bug#842011 – bug reporter is a bit hostile towards the package team, but the gist is that “mariadb is NOT a drop-in replacement for mysql.” Users are bound to realise this once Debian Stretch gets more mainstream use.
[debian-mysql] Bug#840855: Bug#840855: mysql-server: MySQL 5.7?– questioning what happens to MySQL 5.7, and this is really a call to action – if you disagree, email the security and release teams now not after Stretch is released! Quoting Clint Byrum, “The release and security teams have decided that MySQL will live only in unstable for stretch due to the perceived complications with tracking security patches in MySQL.”[debian-mysql] About packages that depend on mysql-* / mariadb / virtual-mysql-*– in where we find the API-incompatiblelibmysqlclient, naming conventions, and more.