Qype Users Share Information Thanks to MySQL

Open Source Database Serves Rapidly-Growing German Portal Community

MUNICH -- July 3, 2007 –- MySQL AB, developer of the world's most popular open-source database, today announced that its product helps power Qype, the popular German multi-city magazine and review portal. The MySQL database gives Qype users quick and easy access to the addresses and GPS coordinates of places of interest in more than 2,200 cities and towns -- along with user reviews on them.

"We are pleased that the Qype portal has given us the opportunity to demonstrate how well MySQL performs in rapidly-growing Web 2.0 applications," comments Kaj Arnö, MySQL AB’s vice president of community relations. The number of visitors to the online magazine has skyrocketed since its launch in April 2006. Currently, Qype gets 3 million page impressions per month.

What makes Qype different is that unlike other online product comparison sites, it focuses more on the reviewers than on what they are reviewing. Personal user reviews and recommendations are added to all listings, which include gas stations, bars, day care centers, restaurants, attractions, physicians, pet stores, babysitters and sports clubs – in short, anything you could expect to find in a business phone directory, and more. To date, Qype has 15,000 authors whose reviews are read by approximately a million visitors every month.

"We were looking for a fast, reliable, inexpensive database technology for data storage," Stephan Uhrenbacher, CEO of Qype GmbH recalls. "MySQL was impressive in all these respects, but also provided excellent support in many languages and helpful frameworks. Its integration into our social community -- based on Ruby on Rails -- came off without a hitch."

Today, Qype uses MySQL for all front end-related processes and user interactions. The database allows users to search by keyword, proximity, rating points and address. Qype also takes advantage of MySQL Spatial Extensions for geographic searches in nearby locations and the InnoDB storage engine for transactions. The system runs on an IBM eServer 346 with Intel Xeon processor in Linux OS Debian 3.1. Because of rapidly increasing requirements, Qype is currently evaluating MySQL Cluster technology in order to extend its environment.

About Qype

Qype is an online review portal and city magazine operated by Qype GmbH in Hamburg. Registered members review businesses, places and services in more than 2,200 cities and towns. Personal recommendations and evaluations – written by users for users – are added to listings. Since its launch in summer 2006, Qype currently has grown to approximately one million users a month and 15,000 content authors. In March 2007, the company was awarded the "Red Herring Award", which is presented to the most promising privately-owned technology companies all over the world by the US-based online magazine Red Herring. For additional information, please visit www.qype.com.

About MySQL

MySQL AB develops and supports a family of high-performance, affordable database products. The company’s flagship offering is 'MySQL Enterprise’, a comprehensive set of production-tested software, proactive monitoring tools, and premium support services.

MySQL is the world's most popular open source database software, with over 11 million active installations. Many of the world's largest and fastest-growing organizations use MySQL to save time and money powering their high-volume Web sites, business-critical systems and packaged software -- including industry leaders such as Yahoo!, Alcatel-Lucent, Google, Nokia and YouTube.

With headquarters in the United States and Sweden -- and operations around the world -- MySQL AB supports both open source values and corporate customers' needs in a profitable, sustainable business model. For more information about MySQL, please visit www.mysql.com.

###

"MySQL" and "MySQL Enterprise" are registered trademarks of MySQL AB in the USA and other countries. Other product or company names mentioned may be trademarks or tradenames of their respective companies.