Is MariaDB next generation of MySQL?

Press Release
SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 20, 2009 -- Sun Microsystems (NASDAQ: JAVA) and Oracle Corporation (NASDAQ: ORCL) announced today they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Oracle will acquire Sun common stock for $9.50 per share in cash. The transaction is valued at approximately $7.4 billion, or $5.6 billion net of Sun's cash and debt.

Good news: Father of MySQL leaves Sun and starts up MariaDB Project
MariaDB have some new storage engines: Maria, Federated, PrimeBase XT, Percona XtraDB