In the ancient tale of Scheherazade, it was not strength of arms or riches of gold that saved her life, but the power of storytelling. Each night, she told the king a tale so compelling that he postponed her execution — and by dawn after dawn, her stories not only spared her life but softened his heart and ultimately saved both her life and the kingdom itself.
So it is with us. Technology can be measured in benchmarks and features, yet what truly gives it meaning is its use — in businesses, in communities, in projects large and small. When MariaDB becomes the trusted backbone of growth, resilience, or discovery, that is where its true value lies.
And these uses, in turn, become stories worth telling. Stories of resilience, creativity, and innovation — reminders of why MariaDB matters.
Lately, as our kingdom expands and new allies gather around the MariaDB Foundation and MariaDB plc, I have been enchanted by such tales.
For instance – There is the story of Greetz, the Dutch greeting card company that scaled from a local idea to a nationwide platform, choosing MariaDB to carry their growth and creativity. And there is the story of Switch CH, the Swiss academic IT service, who placed their trust in MariaDB to serve universities and research across the nation, demonstrating how open source underpins knowledge and collaboration.
Stories like these remind us that MariaDB lives not just in code, but in the projects, institutions, and communities it helps to thrive.
Yet I know there are far more tales waiting to be told. Some may be sweeping epics — vast transformations and grand architectures. Others may be quieter, everyday triumphs — the single query that changed performance overnight, the small project that became possible because MariaDB was there.
I invite you, friends of MariaDB, to share your story. Whether on LinkedIn, on Twitter, or in your own blog — tell us how MariaDB serves you. Each story, like Scheherazade’s, strengthens the kingdom and inspires those who come after.
And because the Queen delights in rewarding good storytellers: share your story on LinkedIn or Twitter using the tags #MariaDB, #MariaDBStories, #ForkingAwesome, and #MadeByGeeks. You may also publish on your own blog and link it on social media with these tags.
Those who share their tale will be entered to win a selection of MariaDB Foundation T-shirts: our classic “Made by geeks, used by professionals” and the brand new “MariaDB – Forking awesome.”
After all — in every kingdom, it is the storytellers who turn achievements into legends.
Anna Widenius
The Accidental Queen
