I just released hamsterdb 2.1.7. It has a few bug fixes and a few performance improvements. Also, Transactions can now be used without the journal (in case you do not mind losing data if there’s a crash).
But the biggest change is not in code, it’s in the license: hamsterdb is no longer GPL, but released under APL (Apache Public License) 2.0. Unlike the GPL, the Apache license allows free use of hamsterdb in closed source applications.
My motivation for this change is that i see the GPL as a major obstacle for higher adoption. The GPL blocks the use of hamsterdb in too many open source projects. I want to improve adoption, therefore i decided to change the license.
In parallel i am working on a new commercial sibling of hamsterdb (called hamsterdb pro). It will offer additional features like compression, encryption, bulk updates, maybe even concurrency etc.
Encryption is typically used to comply with certain legal regulations (i.e. HIPAA), or to protect intellectual property. Both cases are not typical for open source projects, therefore i decided to remove the AES encryption from the publicly available APL version of hamsterdb and move it to the closed source commercial version instead. This is the only feature that was removed.
I hope i can release the first version of hamsterdb pro in 4 – 8 weeks.
hamsterdb 2.1.7 can be downloaded here.
