[NMLUG] IBM.com/open

[Will Pearson]

Yes, it seems to me that from a strategic point of view, IBM is
embracing Linux to throw off their competitions game plan. Which seems
to be working extraordinarily well. IBM isn't embracing Open Source and
the GPL whole heartedly. Lets not forget that they have invested
billions of dollars into proprietary software development in the past 10
years alone. I think IBM is using Linux to attack frustrated 'doze
customers and Sun customers while gaining a large foothold in the small
business sector, especially overseas. IBM doesn't sell consumer line
computers any more, except via mail order, they don't sell much to the
consumer any more, which is also the small office/home office
environment. Cynical? Perhaps. But it would be foolish to not expect
this from IBM after all. People are quick to forget how powerful IBM
used to be, and in many ways, still are. Don't forget the HAL computer
in 2001: A Space Odyssey, and how HAL was just one letter away from IBM,
and was written as such because it played off of peoples fear of how
powerful they were at the time.

Just my .02$

Will

On Sun, 2004-01-11 at 11:40, Chris McKillop wrote:

> And they are not that "open" internally.  At least not to the degree 
> people think.  They have a 2-3 days course for all new employees on how 
> to track IP to ensure what they code isn't contaminated with the GPL or 
> other sticky licenses.
> 
> 	chris