> > I think that real story is more complicated than what's available to
> > the public.
> >
> > - Why would the MySQL AB start the trademark fight after 6 years of
> > peaceful living?
> >
> > - Why would Star Tools GmbH stop the project instead of releasing it
> > under another name?
> >
> > - Why would original developer resume a project that was 4 years not
> > touched?
>
> Internal agreement to create publicity? ;)

I'd rather bet on the idea that MySQL AB, in order to provide full
service to their customers, hired (or got some other agreement with)
the original developer of MySQL-Front to create a [better] version of
the administration tool that would be copyrighted by MySQL AB and
possibly called MySQL [Admin] Front[end]. Since Star Tools GmbH
already has a competing product, MySQL AB decided to "kill" the
competitor. Unfortunate guys from Germany were very vulnerable because
they used "MySQL" in the name of their product. Sloppy management, but
that is common in Germany. This can be indirectly confirmed by MySQL
AB rejecting the proposals of Start Tools GmbH to sell the tool to
them (see response of Star Tools GmbH to MySQL AB).

Another possibility could be that MySQL AB simply just started their
trademark protection campaign and other cases will come. And it could
be that Star Tools GmbH did not make a lot of money from the project
or it could be that MySQL-Front was not that good compared to other
tools on the market. This would confirm the fact that Star Tools GmbH
droped the project instead of releasing it under different name
(however, this was also proposed to MySQL AB and rejected by them). I
did not check the numbers, but I guess that Martijn's Database
Workbench with MySQL plugin is more popular compared to its Firebird
version.

For me personally the first suggestion looks more plausible, but I
guess that the true story will be available year or two later (if at
all).

Also, please don't get me wrong - MySQL AB is doing the right thing,
we have already survived our campaign with Mozilla people and there's
little excuse for the sloppiness of Star Tools GmbH management in this
case. Only that MySQL AB was not interested in the software which is
claimed to be the best of its kind looks very strange to me.

Roman