Oracle XE license issue reprised!

Since Oracle XE (Oracle Database Express Edition) was initially released in January 2006 I believed there was no usage restriction whatsoever with regards to the type of application you could build with Oracle XE and especially in combination with Oracle Application Express (Oracle APEX). 

The "free to develop, deploy and distribute image" of Oracle XE washed away from my brain when I saw this OTN forum thread 

https://forums.oracle.com/forums/thread.jspa?messageID=1454706&#1454706

raised a concern over certain usages such as building a hosted applications to store customers data is not covered under Oracle XE license, which really made me think about the usage of Oracle XE.

is Oracle XE really free for any usage?

Here's what I found out from Oracle XE Licensing information & few other blogs 
(http://docs.oracle.com/database/121/DBLIC/editions.htm#BABHHHJE) sound's like its a real open source database, with no usage restrictions. 


A big thanks to DietmarAust, who got an official confirmation from Oracle on Oracle XE license. you can browse through at http://daust.blogspot.no/2012/08/clarification-on-oracle-xe-licensing.html


In addition to this you would still have to comply to all other elements of the license agreement:http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/licenses/database-11g-express-license-459621.html , 
i.e. you have to comply to the export restriction, your end customers would have to agree to the XE license agreement and so forth.