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Ask IBM's Linux Marketing Director
His name is Scott Handy, and his full title is "Director, Linux Solutions Marketing, IBM Software Group." You want to know how to market Linux? Or how IBM's going about it? Scott ought to know. One question per post, please. We'll send 10 of the highest-moderated ones off tomorrow, and expect Scott's answers back in about a week.
Apple recently released their Mac OS X operating system, which has substantial open source components, and runs on PPC, a hardware platform developed in part by IBM, and used extensively by IBM. Does IBM have any plans regarding OS X? Would be really cool to buy IBM-supported PPC boxes running OS X, especially if it supported IBM enterprise software.
I run a 40 person development organisation, using Linux as the default desktop. The thing that gives me most grief is lack of good office productivity tools for the platform, and the resulting inability to integrate properly into the windows world (which is what our salesmen and most of our customers inhabit). If the following products were available, natively, on Linux we'd buy them:
I realise there are some fast-evolving tools out there (for example gnumeric) but they are still way behind what is available on Windows.
So, are there plans to provide native implementations of the above (I think Java and web enabled front ends are doomed, since they always lag behind the native versions), preferably (and for bonus points) based on gtk?
Greetings:
I've worked with IBM software in various different projects that I have been involved with over the years...from Bluebox Novell Netware, AN/ICLAS, to OS/2 and AVC(Audio Visual Connect, aka UltimediaBuilder/2), and I have been very pleased with the level of support IBM has given me...but that support has always been with IBM branded software, for example, Novell. Although it was a third party (outside of IBM), IBM did a good job of making sure that on IBM hardware, all options were supported, and all IBM current hardware was supported. If there was a problem with drivers or such for IBM hardware, then IBM provided the fix...unless Novell already had one.
My question is this...will we see a "Blue Box" version of Linux...ie, a repackaged version of some Distro, and IBM making sure that all of it's hardware is supported...or is IBM going to try and do what is has been doing for Windows, and thus transfering the "blame" when things don't work to the software vender? Or alternately, is IBM just going to support the Linux Kernel for IBM devices, and leave it up to the Distros to support higher level fuctions, except for specific IBM projects like ViaVoice, etc.?
ttyl
Farrell J. McGovern
CAN-CON 2019 - Ottawa's only book oriented Science Fiction Convention! October 18-20, Sheraton Hotel, Ottawa, Canada h
There is Lotus Domino for Linux, same as there is for AIX and Solaris. The client (Notes) is Win32-only
--
The world is divided in two categories:
those with a loaded gun and those who dig. You dig.
--
The world is divided in two categories:
those with a loaded gun and those who dig. You dig.
A Crusoe Thinkpad preloaded with Linux?
I've got $3500 sitting in the bank waiting for the day when this product comes to market.
However, we have seen very little, if any, IBM statements relating to the recent PR attacks by Microsoft. Considering IBM's market position and mindshare, I would say that such statements could play a very positive role in countering the FUD and minimizing the damage done to Linux and other free software products' image in the eyes of of the uninformed public.
My question is: does IBM intend to make any such supportive statements or clarifications? If not, why not?
TZIX? TriZetto? Heh...RIMS...I worked there once. I was about to ask if you had any openings, and then I realized who TZIX was.
:)
Heck, I probably know you
Do you have any jobs in the Chicago area working with Linux? For various reasons I can't move out of the Chicago area and I'm looking for work, and it would be cool to work for IBM doing Linux stuff.
Not really, the screen oriented nature of the systems is part of OS/400, not a limitation of the hardware. The modern boxes are all power pc... someone once joked it may even be possible to run MAC OS on the damn things, given a graphics card, a keyboard port and a mouse port that is. ;)
linux is linux is linux. It doesn't matter if it's running on x86, or ppc, or alpha (RIP
No matter how you define "packaged software" there is just as much of the stuff for linux on ppc as there is for linux on x86. I can actually walk into Worst Buy and buy all the linux on powerpc software I could want for US$50.
hmm... our marketoids must not be doing there job very well... see http://ibm.com/servers/eserver/iseries/linux/ you can run Linux natively in a logical partition. It gets raw access to the hardware assigned to it at the PowerPC and PCI levels, so aside from the kernel changes to handle the lpar configuration issues and such it's the same PPC Linux binaries as you run on a powermac or an rs/6000. SuSE already has a beta up on the web.
9406 is the generic "ppc based AS/400" family number, you need two more pieces of information to figure out what you've really got, the model number and the processor feature code. Both should be noted on the system somewhere.. usually on small barcode stickers, or else can be found from DST (have your systems staff query this before you take the boxes off line.) You can find a chart at the url I posted (http://ibm.com/servers/eserver/iseries/linux/) by takng the over view link on the right, then linking to the list of supported models of iSeries servers.
Basically what it boils down to is about 1/2 the 9406-270's, most of the 9406-820's and all 9406-8{3,4}0's support running linux in an LPAR.
I'll answer the first half by saying there really isn't a large team physically (I'm only talking about in development, marketing and support are different) anywhere, instead there are a LOT of small issolated pockets. The IBM LTC headed by Dan Frye is forming a virtual team from a lot of those pockets.
The second one I won't touch; except to say that Notes under wine is bearable.
Ryan, Linux on the iSeries is alive and well. See http://ibm.com/servers/eserver/iseries/linux/. If you have supported hardware you can even install a beta from one of our partners tonight! http://www.suse.com/us/suse/news/PressReleases/iSe ries.html
... umm, I just don't see that ever happening, for a number of political and technical reasons. But you never know, I'm not a decision maker around here, just a bit flipper... ask your sales folks, tell 'em you want to buy the support... if enough people do then they'll start asking development for it... that's how a lot of stuff around here starts. :)
Sadly though I suspect what you're wanting is linux for the older IMPI AS/400s (the ones in the ugly white boxes)
Several attempts were made during the 90's to develop UNIX standards so that independant software vendors (ISVs) could develop and support software for multiple UNIX platforms. To a large extent these failed.
Several attempts have been made by UNIX vendors to make it easier for ISVs to support their products on new releases of their O/Ss, like ensuring shared library compatibility in minor releases. Some vendors have had some success, although probably too late.
At the moment I don't see the Linux community addressing these issues which some would argue have contributed to the slow downfall in UNIX in the battle with M$ and each other.
There are many (although the number maybe decreasing) distributions and there are cracks
growing in the kernel group which is struggling to keep the kernel to a single source tree, once touted as the differentiator for Linux. This along with incompatibility between shared libraries in releases makes it very difficult and expensive to support a software (and even hardware) product under Linux.
Given that IBM were there with AIX and have been through this already, how do you see these issues being addressed, or do you believe they are not major issues?
Is IBM content to just distribute RedHat or some other distribution on their platforms, or are you planning to add your own value-added software on your platforms? If so, are you planning your own distribution?
There is folly and foolishness on the one side, and daring and calculation on the other. - Admiral Pellew, Hornblower
Is there any plans fot IBM to lead an efort to fork GNU/Linux to customize it to: 'real computes', "BIG IRON", and / or mainframes?
zenray
What I would really like to see is IBM using some of the weight it has to pressure hardware vendors into giving us more documentation. We have shown again and again that we don't need a lot of corporate support to produce drivers -- all we need is good documentation and IBM might be one of the 5 companies out there that might have the strength to make a difference with this.
So my question to you is: Do you in any way see the possibility of putting pressure on companies like nVidia or Promise to give us documentation on their hardware?
As marketing director, maybe you can explain this decision to me. I just don't see this as a very well thought out marketing ploy. It reminded me of Homer Simpson's attempt at marketing:
"Bowling" *kablam* "Get your bowling!" *kablam*
Taos
And, more importantly, where can we download a nice 'Love, Peace and Linux' desktop background, preferably in a decent resolution (1600x1200)?
This is your sig. There are thousands more, but this one is yours.
Hear Hear!
Finkployd
They can put the same successful marketing behind it that got OS/2 where it is today. Now that's an edge.
I think the whole "corporate email package" thing is overrated - my company uses Netscape as well as Outlook; Netscape works the same on Linux. Dealing with customer MS Office files is a problem I'll admit - I can only hope that StarOffice can conquer that barrier.
Caution: contents may be quarrelsome and meticulous!
Your right to not believe: Americans United for Separation of Church and
Can IBM use ist influence to persuade various HW manufacturers to support Linux with drivers for their hardware?
Are you planing to prepare Linux drivers for your own Printers, PCs and laptops?
MS said that they and their partners (Dell, Compaq, etc) will spend $1 billion. MS has never actually said how much they are putting down.
Oops, sorry (hope this doesn't get you into trouble)!
Maybe I shouldn't have used this example from lkml, but that's the first thing which came to my mind to illustrate my question. I'm genuinely wondering in which areas IBM sees benefits in opening its stuff.
For the record, I do think that among the big players, IBM is the most honest and supportive of OSS. The total turnaround in attitude BigBlue has achieved in the past few years is really impressive.
Keep up the good work!
I strongly believe that trying to be clever is detrimental to your health. -- Linus Torvalds
Since IBM already sells an operating system for enterprise use (AIX) and desktop use (Windows), where is it that you intend to push Linux as a solution? Or is the goal of supporting Linux more to accomodate customers who want it than to introduce it as a preferred solution?
How do you see the future of linux unfolding over
the next few years?
Come see my website.
http://come.to/streiff
For a few weeks those phone stations were mounted and everything was going to be ready for the big date... and it did not happen. One morning the stations were dismantled, people were re-attributed and OS2/Warp was thrown in the "oubliettes".
It's clear that Big Blue avoided a war that day because IBM wasn't ready yet.
All those who saw PBS' "Triumph of the Nerds" hosted by Robert X. Cringely know that Microsoft took the PC market out of the hands of IBM. You could then understand why today IBM is ready to get even.
But will IBM have the guts this time to go all the way?
If that is so, please outline an open source implementation of such a technology...
Yes but he was asking about a commodity motherboard.. you know when you can go to pricewatch and see a bunch of stores carrying one for a couple hundred bucks like with the intel/amd-based boards. :)
How do you bring them up to speed so they can convince their customers that:
Inquiring minds want to know!
--
"We don't (or shouldn't) label the United States Government as hypocritical when Congress and the President have different opinions on the issues and try to implement different plans. We don't (or shouldn't) lable the EU as hypocritical because the French and Germans have different policies on some issues."
****
The difference is very simple. The president and congress are parts of two legally recognized government entities: the executive branch and the legislative branch. The EU is basically a faceplate for several separate sovereign nations.
IBM internally recognizes several operating units for its own convenience. However, no matter how many operating divisions IBM divides itself into for its own purposes, there is only one legal and official entity accountable to the outside world.
Bill Clinton: Pimp we can believe in. - The Shirt!!!
Anyway, I'm very interested to hear Scott's answer to your question!
Well IBM has more or less already chosen one as the internal working distro adding some packages and preconfiguring some. For developpers its is mostly just a new color for the hat, as the new package are not of great use to code :-)
But creating their own distro would mean they would have to implement Notes natively and support it.
Chuchi
Their public relations department is probably taking hard drugs to deal with the pain of the public backlash of from the SDMI faction vs the PLL faction.
"I wish I didn't care,
but I do."
Note to self: No more arguing with the faithful.
Hey, I think a lot of studies and statistics have shown that a 'not-insignificant portion of society' ingages in recreational drug use and extramarital sex (illegal in many areas.) We should install video cameras inside televisions and monitor what people do.
In your post you seem to regard the computer as a playback device for video and MP3s. When did this happen?
Rampant piracy of MP3s exist because there is no viable alternative. How else does the average consumer acquire digital music? Pay $16 for 12 MP3s? That pricing is ridiculous. Consumers recognize that the music industry saves BIG TIME with direct nearly free distributorship and expects those savings to be reflected in cost. Sure most people would "steal" music as opposed to paying over a dollar per song. But how many would chose to be legal and say pay a jukebox like 25 cents, especially if the source were fast and reliable. I know I would.
MP3s aren't CDs. Sure some people use MP3s to burn CDs, but then again some people make tapes off the radio or from borrowed LPs. I personally use MP3s to preview new music, download digital copies of things I *allready own* on CD or vinyl (about 85% of my Napster use) or -on occasion- listen to some random song that I'm not interested enough in to really buy.
I'll put it this way: When I'm at the waffle house, I'll put 25 cents in the jukebox to get a laugh out of "Meat Lover" but I'd never buy it on CD.
In Capitalist America, bank robs you!
Why should (from IBMs perspective) they have a consistent policy on the matter. It looks like they're selling to both sides of the war, a profitable place to be.
In Capitalist America, bank robs you!
Why has IBM completely ignored the potential to be
the "leader" in the one "killer-app" space that
Linux continues to struggle with? There's
GNOME Office, StarOffice, KOffice, etc. etc. etc.
All of these have their merits, but NONE of them
are as full featured and mature as the Lotus
Smart Suite (let's not start a flame war). Since
IBM has ported other Lotus tools to Linux, why
have they COMPLETED ignored the Office space?
It's great that IBM has a group that makes sure the company's machines work with Linux. What can that group do to stop irritating practises like the "recovery partition" on the X20? This kind of strategy presumes that nobody will every want to repartition their disk.
The X20 laptop ships with roughly 1G of recovery information (a drive image) in a reserved partition. Including a copy on CD-ROM is not standard! One figure I have heard for the cost of such a CD is $38, if you need to order one from IBM at a later date.
Can you also clarify whether this is the case with the T and A-series machines?
Today, much of that graffiti is still there, even after several large rainstorms. When are you guys going to clean up your graffiti?
"Can of worms? The can is open... the worms are everywhere."
Will IBM commit to a FREE (as in beer) distribution that we peons can use at home?
COBOL! COBOL! COBOL!!!!!
If you aren't part of the solution, there is good money to be made prolonging the problem
Is IBM's use of Linux anything more than a strategy of maintaining IBM's brand in technology?
I can't spell or type, but that doesn't mean I'm unusually stupid.
Being a soon-to-be college graduate, what advice do you have to someone who would like to work for IBM in the "linux division"?
What do you look for in potential employees, especially those us without much experience?
Josh
Scott,
I live in New York City, and I've noticed IBM's latest ad campaign for Linux (The penguin, the peace sign, and the IBM logo). So far so good. What disturbs me is the fact that it has been spray-painted, presumably by some paid agency of IBM, onto the sidewalks of New York.
My question is, why is IBM illegally defacing public property? Those streets are not for rent for any corporate agenda, they were paid for and maintained by the taxpayers of NYC and New York State. In fact, they are one of the few places to look if you don't want to be inundated with ads. Will your company be spray-painting the insides of eyeballs next? Forgive me if I sound a bit disgusted.
Martin Beauchamp
"I'll bust his head in!" -M. K. Gandhi
Linux became big without IBM's help. IBM marketing Linux can only be a good thing. Many companies are supporting Linux, unlike OS/2.
You raise an interesting point: why hasn't IBM responded to Craig Mundie's speach? Sure, having Open Source evangelists respond is one thing, but having IBM give a rebuttal of Mundie's speach would go much further in influencing business manager's opinions regarding open source.
Perhaps....i'm kind of in a bad mood so I can't grasp humor right now :P
It is certainly true that IBM is fully behind Linux, but that has little to do with any commitment to Open Source!
When is IBM going to release the code to its most strategic software products, such as WebSphere, DB2, or zOS? When hell freezes over, that's when! According to Software Magazine, IBM makes more than $40 billion from its closed-source software right now. Do you think it is going to throw all of that licensing revenue away just to eke out a few more dollars from service or hardware opportunities? No way! IBM's software packages are highly leveraged cash cows, and all of the "street cred" with the hacker community in the world wouldn't justify sacrificing them. Everyone talks about the $1B that IBM is spending on Linux, but you don't hear as much about the $1B that it is spending on WebSphere, which it develops and releases the old-fashioned way -- with proprietary code and very high-margin licensing fees.
Make no mistake, IBM believes in the traditional software business just as much as Microsoft or Oracle. Its embrace of Linux as an operating system is simply a tactical manuver to gain leverage in adjacent software, service, and hardware markets.
Oh, I've done all that stuff. I want to actually use them to make IBM money, since I'm pretty good at them and I want my career to point in that direction.
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
Check IBM's AIX site for info about Linux 'affinity'...
And (in case my manager is reading this ;-) getting approval to work on Open Source in your 'personal time' is a long process too.
Hm.. no problem for me though..
-ulf-
man, that'd be the coolest!
<---[singularity sig]
Here, here.
This is not at all uncommon. It is commonly referred to as "diversified interests". Many people invest money in Nike, who uses sweatshops in 3rdy world countries and still donate money to organizations who fight this practice.
In IBM's case, retaining as much control as possible over their products has proven itself to generate revenue consistently due to such issues of vendor lock-in.
This conflicts with the interests of consumers, though, and most companies like to keep their customers happy. For this reason some companies do decide to go the route of Freedom and most generate enough revenue to survive and usually profit. These industries are usually more diverse and survive quite a bit longer. Everyone is happy and everyone has what they need. Except the nature of any business is to generate as much revenue as possible.
My point? Neither approach comes close to meating the ideals of all parties involved.
is Eric S. Raymond (esr) an asset in marketing? How do people in your line of work see him? How about Richard S. Stallman (rms), does it concern you that some of the most verbal people in the linux world could be considered by some to be nuts?
-Jon
this is my sig.
Why is there no current version of VisualAge Java for Linux? Your VisualAge web site says "In addition to the existing support for Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Windows 98, Linux will be the platform that developers can rely on for premier tooling from IBM", and yet the only available version is 3.02, which is not feature-complete and only supports Java 1.1 and Swing 1.0. There was no 3.5, and an IBM rep just confirmed on your newsgroups that there will be no 4.0. Why not?
Well, that's a very good question, isn't it. I personally attended a seminar at IBM's Milwaukee offices in October of last year where a rep from the Toronto labs told me, looking straight into my eyes, that there would be a Linux version of VAJava 3.5 by the end of the year. Liar, liar, your pants are on fire. I have lost whatever respect I may once have had for IBM, and I go back to the days of BAL and punched cards. They have lost some serious business here.
We have a great post here. This question should be posed.
IBM has said they will spend $1 billion on Linux this year.
Can you provide a basic breakdown, perhaps by rough %, of what this money is being applied to?
I know there's a Linux OS group at the recently acquired Sequent plant in Beaverton, OR. I think their primary goal is to get Linux to scale well on Intel's 64-bit platform.
Looking for a computer support specialist for your small business? Check out
In light of the recent announcement made by VA Linux Systems in which they announced that they're giving up the Linux hardware business, do you feel that this, in any way, could cause FUD in potenial consumers of equipment built for or around Linux?
Trolls make great pets. Adopt one today!
This is the best question I've seen yet. What would happen if IBM would put it's marketing machine against MS' Marketing machine. Sure RMS and kin can speak out against Munide and company, but without A large, well known, worldwide respected company like big blue behind them only us small folks really take notice. The ones who need to hear the "message" wouldn't even know who RMS is.
Dozings.com -- Its kinda funny... If you're as crazy as me.
Now that IBM is championing Linux, should we assume that OS2 is dead? On the same token, why is IBM promoting Linux but not OS2? Surly if it can market Linux, it should also be able to market OS2. Can you give us evidence that the support of Linux within IBM is not just another hot air for marketing purpose?
Thanks!
---------------
Sig
abbr.
Karma stuck at 50? Add 2-5 inches.. err.. 2-5x Karmas Count to your pen1es.. err.. Karma all naturally and private
Good Luck! (a webmaster at TZIX, Naperville)
I think he was kidding!
Does it offer instead a means to guarantee decentralized control and help foster effective competition in the distribution of software and data services, and as such is either an alternative to or a barrier against the network computing model as proposed by things like .NET?
Second, what does IBM see as the result of more extensive Open Source and open standards in the industry? Will it encourage more decentralization and competition in the supply of services and product, allowing companies to focus on providing value-add instead of reinventing the software wheel? Does it assist or hurt the 'average' corporation in getting more trusted, secure, stable and useful product and services?
Thanks in advance.
Are the metrics/comparisons mentioned by the above post even available internally? They sure would be useful (in my division, which will go unnamed 12)...
[|]
I am happy that IBM is adopting Linux in a big way. Obviously it has made a lot of business sense for a company in the business of making money. Alphaworks was a big step towards opensource from IBM (but didn't make it anywhere close .. thats another story anyway). Here is the question.
What kind of products are you planning for the linux platform? Do you plan to have different licencing policies for different customers? If so how do you look at customers( eg. Research, corporate, blah..). Would all products developed by IBM for Linux be opensource?
Finally, Has IBM considered bringing out its own Linux distribution?
Thanks
--> Your Wisecrack Here
Given the current "standoff" (if you will) between MSFT and Linux, where will IBM's loyalties lie in regards to making implementation suggestions to enterprise/corporation level customers? For example, will IBM Global Services people be educated in Linux as well as their current focus on Windows?
I guess the real meat of my question focuses on whether or not Linux will be a "back-burner" project for IBM while Windows solutions continue to be the focus, or will IBM use Linux as a real solution for enterprise customers?
-- Breaking Windows: Not just for kids anymore KDE
by day, I'm a mild mannered Catia driver on AIX. when will we see Catia on Linux. I realize that this is a question as much for Dasault, but I figured you should know.
Recently, we've heard many disparaging comments about Linux & open source software from Bill Gates and others. What is your response and feeling about this (or IBMs official stance)? If it's simply marketing tactics, what messages does IBM communicate to combat them?
kill_9_1
There exists a growing niche for a Linux Desktop distribution. The niche is being created by Microsoft's dividing the desktop market between those who will follow Microsoft and those who are hesitating, see no benefit and are even alarmed with Microsoft's plans. Critics of Linux often point out major areas where Linux lacks what corporate and government IT shops need. I summarize the majority of those criticims as being issues of how to install and support Linux on the desktops of hundreds or thousands of end user workstations without retraining those hundreds or thousands of users. Corporate and governement IT are many times the wiser from bad upgrade experiences. They are extremely cautious.
Does IBM recognize this niche and does IBM have any plans to market a Linux Desktop distribution?
What has IBM learned about marketing so that Linux won't go down the same path as OS/2? An OS with a fanatical following that faded into obscurity. Sounds just like Linux today (a fanatical following that is).
Realistically, though, you can get something similar from Linux. If you stick to the most commonly used hardware, rather than trying the oddball stuff you describe, you can get very good support for it under Linux. In some cases it may be better than what you can get under a proprietary Unix like AIX because there are so many more people banging on the hardware and drivers and finding out what the problems are. And all of the big-name Linux vendors will know about it and its quirks. At the same time, you are less likely to be completely screwed if you happen to want or need some hardware that's a bit off the wall.
There's no point in questioning authority if you aren't going to listen to the answers.
I think that you miss the point. It's entirely possible that IBM, as a corporation, has no stated opinion on the matter. They haven't made up their minds, and different groups within the company are expressing their views without them being the official view of the company as a whole. It happens all the time, and it doesn't represent hypocrisy on anyone's part when it does happen. Hypocrisy is not simply saying one thing and doing another; it requires more than that. Hypocrisy is falsely claiming to hold a belief in an attempt to get others to follow it while privately failing to do so yourself. As long as IBM hasn't reached a corporate decision about the importance of personal freedom vs. strong copyright protection, they can't be held to be hypocritical because they lack the necessary precondition of claiming to hold a belief one way or the other.
There's no point in questioning authority if you aren't going to listen to the answers.
Does IBM really believe in Linux, or did they just see a great opportunity to 'get' Microsoft?
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
Linux has almost reached the point that there is no reason it cannot be placed on corporate desktops for users who have standard images and no need to modify the machine. IT can handle all software installs. This assumes the company is willing to invest in a day or two of training on the Linux Apps (StarOffice, etc) as well.
However, to truly be comfortable on the corporate desktop, two things are desperately needed:
1. Font Standardization. There MUST be better looking and a wider variety of fonts available, and a standardized place where apps can look for fonts.
2. Better cut & paste functionality across applications.
What can IBM do to help in these areas? I would think that IBM has the muscle and respect to lead a font standardization group...
What do you honestly see as the future market for Linux? Do you think it will remain strictly in the server closets and on the desktops of the UberGeeks? Or do you see it making it's way into business to be more than "just a cheap platform for a webserver" (which is unfortunately the attitude I see in many business settings)? Or will Linux thrive in the embedded / set top box / appliance market? Or (and this is the utopian ideal for me) do you see Linux and it's other free *nix-like cousins finally winning the battle and becoming the dominant platform for Joe Desktop User to Mr. and Ms. Uber PowerUser and all areas in between? Or do you see a mix of some/all of these possibilities?
There are two major products that come out of Berkel
Its almost become a rule of thumb that IBM technology is great, but that their marketing is not up to par.
What are you going to do to ensure that your Linux effort does not become another DB2/OS2/PPC quagmire, (i.e great technology in permanent also-ran position due to being outmarketed by the competition)
I just can't figure out why they'd want to buy those companies out. It's not in their interest to get a monopoly, if there was a monopoly why would people leave Windows? Also, they can't get a monopoly, any distribution could take over in no time by building a good installer for Debian (heck, people are working on that already).
Monkey sense
Regardless of the backlash that you have generated over the Penguin+Peace graffiti campaign, it has to be considered a great success, from a brand awareness standpoint (no such thing as bad publicity, etc, etc). You have obviously recognized that you are marketing to a different demographic than the average S/390 buyer. Will you be continuing with your 'guerilla marketing' strategies? If so, what's next!!
Why did IBM choose to invest $200m in Asia for Linux development centers? Potential choices could have been The Middle East, South America or Africa. Big Blue, I'm sure, doesnt't want to project a bigoted corperate image derived from beliving the pervasive myth that Asians are smarter, work for cheaper and are rich (to buy computers from IBM).
If voting were effective, it would be illegal by now.
Why did IBM choose to invest $200m in Asia for Linux development centers? Potential choices could have been The Middle East, South America or Africa. Big Blue, I'm sure, doesnt't want to project a bigoted corperate image derived from beliving the pervasive myth that Asians are smarter, work for cheaper and are rich (to buy computers from IBM).
If voting were effective, it would be illegal by now.
Do you or IBM fell that Linux will make inroads on PC desktops?
Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
I remember using OS/2 back on an old 386 and loving it - man I miss OS/2. It was years ahead of Windows at the time, yet it lost to MS anyway. However, OS/2 most certainly isn't dead yet - it's just that I'm unwilling to shell out the ~$300 for it - it's not worth that much to me, and I really can't imagine it ever picking up any market share against Windows at that price - it seems that the price leaves it in it's legacy-only place - as well as helping to cement the reality that it will probably never be openned.
Oh well.
--
You are in a maze of twisty little relative jumps, all alike.
One big edge is their support structure and organization. They have the ability to provide 7x24 support as well as multiple levels of response time and immediate technical accessibility (go straight to level 2, do not pass level 1, do not get asked if your server is plugged in... :)
Another is their background in the enterprise computing world. They have experience and knowledge of computing design, architecture, implementation, expected behaviors, and ongoing support and maintenance that many other Linux players don't have.
(just my 2cents; got change for a $3 )
From a marketing stand point image is everything (as m$ has proven time and again).
Linux has proven it's self for server and desktop the for those that are willing/able to step out side of the (M$) norm and spend the time to make it work.
What are IBM's goals/strategies for marketing GNULinux/Open source(not shared source) as a viable alternative to closed source solutions for the following groups:
corporations as an Enterprises solution
small companies for servers
small companies as workstations
home computer users for the desktop
With IBM's goals/strategies mind what can GNULinux community do to improve the success of marketing GNULinux.
How 'bout this, the next time Microsoft makes noises about how bad free software is: Where do you want to code today? Rademir
ourpla.net is your planet
We lose the good we oft might win
By fearing to attempt
My debut novel AMITY now available: http://jeremydbrooks.c
Comment removed based on user account deletion
Comment removed based on user account deletion
With Windows and Office XP paving the way to lease/rent ware... Why not run ads that explain what people are giving up if they go that route. The average public doesn't know what freedoms they stand to lose. While freeware & open source are nice, there is also something to be said for software that lets you do what you want with it after you buy it...
I happen to hate needing to re-license something I already bought.
This sig intentionally left blank.
Given IBM's comitment to Linux, how is IBM's relationship with Microsoft being affected? Is there any pressure from Microsoft to be less committed to Linux?
Randy.Flood@RHCE2B.COM
How much easier to use and more colorful does it need to be than KDE2 already is? I mean, dang, that KDE2 is dang nice to look at. If the average dumbass can stand Windows, they should really like KDE2-- it's a lot prettier. How much easier does it get than having big square buttons along the bottom of the screen that open up your favorite applications with a single push?
I do not have a signature
Scott,
Part of what's necessary for Linux to grow is attracting end-users, not just server admins. One of the big barriers to this is usability and user interface. What is IBM doing to address this concern, and what can the Linux community do as a whole to increase the user-friendliness of Linux?
"'Wintel' is not an acronym."
Yeah, no shit. I guess you'll never get a job at IBM.
"Never bullshit a bullshitter" All That Jazz
1.
Do you see possibilities on Linux for the small software developer (e.g. the shareware writer) ?
Or will Open Source be a means for the big corps to effectively kill commercial small software developper?
2.
Do you see a market for software without services (e.g. like Borland seems to try with Kylix) ?
What is from your experience missing in the Linux development? What will it take to get it more deployed in "non-geek" areas and what will IBM do about that? Does IBM offer complete turnkey solutions that I can sell my boss on because "nobody ever got fired for buying IBM"?
So, who got to clean that up?
AIX only runs on a limited amount of hardware. While that does make it tough to do certain things (don't expect a driver for that cheese-dip ethernet card you picked up for $20), it also makes it more reliable. AIX doesn't try to be everything to everyone; and IBM has a much better shot at supporting it on a known platform. What a debacle that could be "Well, I'm having a hard time getting my TSM server to migrate the storage pool on my shark to my 3494 tape library. Say what? Oh, it's a Dell Itanium with a RealTek fibre-channel card..." etc. I love Linux; but I also see a great deal of benefit in such a robust and stable OS as AIX running on a defined set of hardware. Hopefully, I can continue to rely on that.
Hot Damn! It's the Soggy Bottom Boys!
There will be no IBM Linux distribution. IBM has "blessed" four, RedHat, Caldera, SuSE and TurboLinux. IBM will not expend the effort of trying to create their own niche in the market when they can use an already existing distribution.
Just my £0.02
Swedish, but resident in the UK since 1996.
How much trouble/fines did the Tux Stencil campaign give IBM? :)
/*drunk.. fix later*/
It already does.
sure I'll have a sig.
Hi Scott - on http://www-1.ibm.com/linux/ everyone can read that IBM has key alliances with four different Linux partners: Caldera, Red Hat, SuSE and Turbo-Linux. A major Linux actor, a one with more market shares than Red Hat for individuals, a one that is truly international, neither American-centric nor Asian centric, a major Linux actor is missing. This Linux actor sells Linux products "to customers in 86 different countries worldwide" (according to their newly opened online store). This Linux actor is going public in July on a pan-European stock-market exchange place. Will IBM do a "key alliance" with this actor, or not? And why? :-)
Can we expect further marketing efforts of Linux this fall to counteract those of MS?
The Wintel alliance is expected to spend over $1 Billion with the XP rollout.
If IBM could spend just a fraction of that promoting Linux...
Linux on NFL TV broadcasts...
Tux at halftime of the Super Bowl.
--
You are being MICROattacked, from various angles, in a SOFT manner.
Linux and the OpenSource community has lots to offer business' and individuals. Its free for a start.
What do you think is missing from OpenSource and Linux, and of these can you deliver any/some/all of them. Advertising for example, the OpenSource community, by definition does not make profit to advertise or commit to R+D, can you help fund such much needed projects.
Also, what are your long term intentions, why is IBM getting involved the OpenSource arena. To better itself or to honestly contribute to the community?
Thanks in advance
And thats the bottom line coz Mr.T said so....said so
Time spent learning to fix Windows, is the same time working with Linux.
...Linux as an alternative PC OS to Windows? I know that IBM offers Linux OS loads on ThinkPad and other products...servers being their main focus. But, are there any plans to develop an IBM release designed for ease of use on the PC? Userfriendly GUI, more drivers, etc.?
Ruger
Credit where it is due: you can do some fairly sophisticated stuff, even at the Office97 SR-2b level, slinging VBA.
Clearly, I speak of stand-alone situations where performance isn't a requirement, but, admit it: that is a significant chunk of the business problem space.
If I thought SmartSuite (or Corel's Perfect Office product) had as consistent an interface, I'd have migrated a while ago.
Get thee glass eyes, and, like a scurvy politician, seem to see things thou dost not.--King Lear
Is there any corporate memory of MS's early 90's bait-and-switch with OS/2? Of the industry perception that IBM was some goliath felled by an unlikely David what couldn't operate a comb? Will a signifcant cadre of IBMers gather, sip their Perrier, and burn Billy G. in effigy as Linux surmounts 'Doze xx in market share?
Viewing IBM's sudden recent embrace of Linux, I couldn't help but wonder if the whole thing isn't, at some level, a collosal prostate check.
Get thee glass eyes, and, like a scurvy politician, seem to see things thou dost not.--King Lear
What are IBM's plans for developing an OpenSource MP version of Linux?
What steps are you/IBM taking to counteract Microsoft's efforts to smear Linux and Open Source, particularly with corporate IT departments?
- Dan I.
As Director of marketing for Linux, what is your estimate of the number of people who would be prepared to pay for applications written for Linux?
Should Linux be marketed as Linux (kernel only) touting the power, efficiency, customizability? Or should it be associated with popular programs such as XFree86, Apache, GNOME/KDE, etc? It seems that the association with other packages could be detrimental to the overall image of Linux. One of the biggest selling points (in my opinion) is the versatility and open options that Linux allows. Is the association with these packages good or bad as far as marketing Linux is concerned?
It would interest me to know how far IBM will go to embrace Linux in the many solutions IBM provides, especially proprietary solutions.
/etc/Ben_Menking.conf
Sure, there are (or will be) solutions for servers, clients, and personal PCs, but will Linux support spill over into solutions such as Point of Sale? Would the porting of (proprietary) IBM software, such as SuperMarket Application or Chain Drug Sales Application, to Linux be considered?
--
Dear Mr. Handy,
Will we ever see some kind of "merging" between OS/2 and Linux ? (a PM-shell for Linux or something?).
What's your opion about the "Linux-ready-for-the-desktop" debate ? Do you see Linux as a potential Desktop Operating ?
How will IBM promote Linux ? Desktop OS, Server OS, or both ?
...You are over-qualified and under-paid. If we give you a raise, we will break the cosmic balance of the universe.
Linux + Power4 would Rock, especially if you could get it less than $10,000.
When it comes to Linux distributions that are developed for IBM four are mentioned in press releases: Caldera, RedHat, SuSE and Turbolinux. It seems to me that IBM fevours RedHat over others even though RedHat is behind SuSE and Turbolinux in developement and support of IBM related software. It is as if the stronger Linux distro is getting credit where it may not be due. So, my question is: How do you rate Linux ditributions and based on what?
IP was invented for the sake of lawsuits.
May i ask: "what about *BSD?".
There is no need for the kind of support IBM gives to Linux, but a little help would go a long way..
For example, there's still to this day no driver for IBM's servRAID cards, and that's quite a bore. I guess providing access to some hardware and/or docs shouldn't be very exepensive, and could mean a good support of IBM hardware by, say, FreeBSD..
Does IBM have any plans about *BSD, or is it just totally ignored?
(We've been told here by an IBM marketing guy, when we were trying to install FreeBSD on a 4500, that he thought we wanted an "industrial solution"... Like FreeBSD is a toy OS, and we should put something else on this.. I was quite pissed off, but i still like the hardware.)
i had a sig, once..
I first must start by saying that yes LiNUX does Rule but at the moment IBM does not rule.(Sorry big blue). Any way here is my question/concern: What is IBMs true level of commitment to LiNUX, I have seen the streets painted and the tv commercials which are all well and good but I have yet to see any real LiNUX support, where are my Client Access Expresses, my Java or for that matter any development tools? All I seem to hear is "Yes we are working on that", or "this will be available next quarter" and never is. As example, VAJava which was promised by actual IBM employees to be a fully functional version 3.5 for LiNUX last Decemember and yet I am not using it yet. Please IBM marketing ploys only go so far it is time to provide the tools LiNUX users need and want or stop talking 100% LiNUX support because right now you are at maybe 2% LiNUX support.
Microsoft has been accused of being purposely ambiguous about their .NET strategy. Recently, in a first attempt to clarify what is .NET with the IT world, they have been filling IT magazines with pamphlets that diagram and outline what they see as the future of web services and how their specific products fit into that vision. The pamphlets paint a world with Windows XP, Windows CE, Pocket PC, Xbox, and Tablet PC as client side smart devices and operating systems. They outline Office XP, Project and Visio as the end user experiences, Visual Studio .NET and the .NET framework as the development environment, and Hailstorm as their upcoming service building block. Of course they portray Windows .NET server and SQL Server as the server side solutions with the possibility of FreeBSD in the mix. This painting outlines how Microsoft plans to fit its products into a vision of the future in a clearer and more concise way, showing how Windows and related products can provide an enterprise with an end to end solution.
Microsoft's solution for the enterprise is really Microsoft from end to end. IBM's solutions with AIX, Linux, DB2, WebSphere, Java, and XML has been all about open architectures and having a variety of component vendors, but IBM has not provided enterprises with a clear picture on how those technologies can be drawn together to create next generation web service architectures. What model does IBM suggest to enterprise customers looking to build open web service architectures that encompass the client world, the user experience, the development environment, the web service building blocks, and the server side? How does Linux and other IBM supported technologies fit into this future vision?
Miko O'Sullivan
Miko O'Sullivan
OS/400's security mainly stems from obscurity. It's internal workings are totally undocumented, IBM exposes only very few kernel apis (Machine Interface) to developers. Even the machine code itself of the older CISC (they call it IMPI - Internal Microprogramming Interface) is totally undocumented. There are quiet a few products out there that will simulate an AS/400 environment to the point that you can run legacy RPG/400 or Cobol/400 applications. I could imagine an Operating System that let's you run AS/400 applications (certainly after a recompile, I'm not so sure whether we can go from the Machine Interface Pseudo Code) but we'll never have that 48-bit address space where every persistent disk object, program image, vlic-kernel and everything else OS/400 lives in. I suppose we could emulate all that but the performance loss would be worth it. As to what your P.S is concerned, again S/370/390 architecture offers a lot which MVS - OS/390 - zOS is built around. Again the best thing to do would be to create an emulation environment to run the apps in, the next best thing to do is build an OS which makes a MVS or later application happy. Come to think of it.. being able to run applications which used to run on OS/400 or MVS-OS/390-zOS on Linux or BSD would be pretty cool. If something like that got adopted by the market maybe we could put IBM where we really want them: making great hardware instead of proprietary OS. Then they'd really have to embrace Linux and put some serious effort in it to keep selling.
Not really, as a matter of fact 5250 terminals also have a raw mode where every key press is transmitted to the host. As a matter of fact there is even an Asynchronous Workstation Controller available which you could use to connect normal Unix terminals to the machine. (You might have to tweak the PL/8 written firmware of the controller to get raw mode :-))
You are being hostile to users when you lock your car, and then sell it to them sans keys.
IBM has pledged to spend 1 billion dollars on Linux this year alone. It's now half-time through the year and I would like to know, approximately how much has already been spend, where, and on what specific projects?
Further, has/will some of that amount go to TV-advertising? Especially, would IBM be willing to spend the cash for a Linux-Superbowl ad?
Thanks!
IBM sells hard drives to customers. Customers do not want CPRM. They want the freedom to use their hard drive any way they choose. Why should my hard drive be crippled just because some third party (who has absolutely nothing to do with my purchase) is paranoid about copyright infringment? Furthermore, why should I have to pay extra just so IBM can license the crippling technology?
Finally, why is this crippling technology needed? Because a few people pirate software and music? It's not like every software and media company is going bankrupt over piracy. If viral piracy were truely a problem, CPRM would have been implemented a couple decades ago, and there would be no way that Microsoft would release their .NET source code.
Has anyone at IBM made an attempt to bond with the community through Linux User Groups? And if so, are there any plans to present at any groups?
East Bay Linux User Group
Although IBM announced with great fanfare that free Linux developer accounts were being made available via IBM's Linux Community Development System (LCDS), the LCDS website has not been accepting registrations for the past seven weeks!
This site's current excuse for not accepting new LCDS registrations (until at least July!) is that June registrations are currently being processed...very odd, considering that the very same web page stated throughout June that no registrations could be taken!
The web site also goes on to instruct those that were somehow able to register, but are still being ignored, not to bother IBM with further correspondence.
Interesting marketing that certainly doesn't jibe too well with IBM's claim that 'S/390's flexibility and management characteristics make it possible to add new Linux servers in minutes rather than days'.
What gives??????
I am interested in some more information on your post. I am not very familiar with AS/400 hardware or OS/400. I believe I have a type 9046 which seems to be a PPC processor. Do you know if this is supported, and if so do you know where I can find some information on the actual process for installing Linux on this box. I would really appreciate any infoirmation /.'ers have to offer here.
I found this link, but I really don't know what tupe AS/400 I have. I would love to get this working, and I think it can be a great learning experience.
DocWatson
MessEdUp
#/var/www/v
I heard that IBM for various reasons cannot decide to partner with just one linux distibution, some distributions dont cover all processors, can't be seen to favour one over the other..... BUT if it came down to it, which distribution would you market with your hardware as the best all round solution, and why?
-Who moved the horse?
It's rumored to be $500 million. I wouldn't doubt it.
Do you agree that the fundamental challenge against mass-marketing Linux is ignoring the command line?
In general conservative companies think "its free - it cannot be any good" Which selling points do you highlight to such companies to make them at least consider using a free OS? Which selling points are unique to the use? (server / end-user, embedded, ...) Do they like the thought of software running on COTS hardware and buying the real service (AKA consulting, management software, etc) from IBM?
since i'm sure you've noticed those Microsoft ads in magazines (and newspapers, and tv, etc.) i'm wondering if any of that huge wad of cash IBM is spending on linux will go towards advertising in mainstream media. Linux Journal and other trade magazines will take your money, but they won't earn you any customers.
so, any tv ads in the future? a cute little anime Tux smashing store windows in a riot scene (a la Seattle/Canada, WTO protests). you can use Annie Lennox's "Walking On Broken Glass" as the theme music!
...just a thought.
-d.
--
Slashdot: When News Breaks, We Give You The Pieces
FreeBSD for the impatient.
where can i get peace, love and linux t-shirts?
---
"i was saying gnu-rd"
Question: Will we ever see IBM expand this target market to end-users?
It's nice that IBM is pushing Linux (though clearly you aren't doing this simply because it's a nice thing to do), but I'm sure a lot of us would like to see big blue get behind a drive to get Linux rolled out en masse on workstations. That's what could make a real difference...
-a boy puts a feather into his mouth-
Will IBM be dropping AIX in favour of concentrating on Linux? Will IBM and the other vendors ever be in a position to refuse to sell their product with Microsoft software OEM? (That would sure change the face of the desktop in a big hurry) Who is in control? The hardware vendors or Microsoft?
Because they dont want to bring the truth out
- Anne
I am not Slashdot's bitch!
I remember seeing one commercial... EVER... And believe me, I watch plenty of TV, the ample-ness of my posterior can testify to that! If I remember it was for the blue box version of OS/2, and was during a football game. Maybe they simply regionalized their advertising too much. Overall I was a firm OS/2 supporter, as I ran a BBS at the time on it. (4 nodes on a 486/25 isn't bad!) I still say 90% of the problem was marketing, most of my users on my BBS at the time didn't have a clue what OS/2 even was or who made it....
Many Linux users are aware of Microsoft's "partnership" (read: part-ownership) of Corel. I am not aware of IBM owning any sort of similar equity stakes in Linux distributors/serivce providers (though I may be mistaken). Are there any sorts of competitive advantages that could be provided by this sort of a relationship, or would this be too risky as part of IBM's long-term Linux strategy?
As a marketer for an open-source web firm, I find that emerging companies and nonprofits love the word 'open-source' because it signifies 'free,' but that enterprise-class companies hate the word because it signifies 'non-branded.' How does IBM's director of Linux marketing tell a compelling open-source story to enterprise-class clients?
For enlightened, Linux-experienced people working across the industry (at the Big Five, System Integrators, dot.com, and big vendors like Lucent and Cisco) IBM's Linux strategy may be a career opportunity.
Is there a person or group within IBM available for these people in the US, Europe etc. to talk to or should those interested file their profile at http://www.activerecruiter.com/ibm/ ?
IBM has a lot OSs: OS/390, z/OS, OS/2, OS400, AIX... Is Linux the answer to Sun, a unique platform for all IBM server class hardware ?
I understand IBM's efforts with Linux (and other open source software as Apache) but is this philosophy coherent with IBM business? Today is the operating system, tomorrow the database, where IBM is leader. Then? Will IBM sell only services?
Or are these "Open Source gadgets" only starting points to IBM more complex solutions?
I realize that you might not want to spend a billion dollars
on the Linux desktop. However, why are you not doing
some basic things, like porting over Smart Suite and Notes?
One of the key features that is holding back Linux is the
inability to easily view and send MS Office documents.
If this problem were eliminated; it would go a long way to
helping grow, or at least sustain, the Linux market.
So far the marketing I have seen has been very elitist. When is IBM going to market Linux for the masses? That whole "peace, love, linux" thing was a cute thing... for people who know what the heck Linux is. What about the millions and millions of people who haven't a clue? why are we leaving them out? dumb move. I have some very interesting marketing ideas which I will not disclose at this point in time. Remember what I am sayimg: "Dumb it down, and they will come!!!" Look what apple does. Mike Masseo
With IBM submitting kernel patches in the past for large memory management and high end hardware that have been largely rejected by the linux kernel development team - is IBM considering forking the kernel and creating an accompanying distribution for "big iron" servers.
It seems with the de-emphasis of AIX, that pulling the serious features of AIX out (JFS, really good highly scalable SMP, really good compilers etc) and putting them in your own distribution would put it head and shoulders above existing distos.
Combined with IBM branding, proven experience in OS development and design it would be an easy sell. So really the question is, when is IBM announcing the work they've already started on this?
I am a consultant and ocationally recommend IBM hardware and or software solutions to my clients. Sometimes, in my opinion, Linux is the best OS to solve the client's needs, and is thus what I recommend. If this client happens to be a fortune 1000, or a government department, their IBM rep always steps in with a strong request that AIX be implemented instead. How long do you think it will be before IBM sales reps are comfortable with suggesting Linux over AIX?
Given IBM strong commitment to Linux and to the Power/PowerPC, what will IBM's strategy be in relation to the two combined? With the release of AIXL will we see products like Websphere and DB2 available for Linux PowerPC? With AS/400's converting over to the Power4 chip when released, will we seee some of its software released for LinuxPPC? Will we see PC level servers/workstations with a PowerPC chip?
From what I understand, IBM was manufacturing Alpha processors for DEC/Compaq.
Does IBM have any rights to Alpha technology that would allow it to continue the manufacture of these chips? In the agreement with Cyrix, IBM was allowed to manufacture its own x86 designs based upon Cyrix.
Any possibility that IBM could acquire Alpha Processor, Inc., and provide us with low-cost Alphas?
Or, wonder of wonders, is there any possibility that we could see inexpensive PowerPC motherboards from IBM?
Please, somebody just give me an alternative to IA64!
When will IBM consider releasing the source code to several of the closed source drivers needed to use networking on the S/390-zSeries Linux port? The OSA Ethernet card driver (lcs) is closed source, this makes using the latest greatest Linux kernels (like Alan Cox's kernels) useless to people who use the OSA card as a connection to thier network. Until the source for this driver is released, I can't take "Peace, Love, and Linux" very seriously...
However, in terms of marketing, none of the corporations I have looked at have made much effort in actually promoting their output to the wider audience. Indeed, a few have never mentioned their work even to those in the Linux community.
Given that IBM has such a massive technical lead, how do you see IBM's Linux marketing efforts evolving with time?
It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
Open source and CPRM and SDMI are not linked. I can be a open source bigot, and agree with CPRM and SDMI's goals. They are not contradictory.
If I am for abolishing the death penalty, what has that got to do with de-legalizing drugs?
At least ask a question that makes sense!
"think of it as evolution in action"
Second, I wouldn't have said that Solaris is a desktop option either .... but Sun utilises it for that purpose.
When I first started to run Linux, years ago, there was an enormous gap in reliability between Linux and Windows. Although ideologues are loathe to admit it, MS has substantially narrowed that gap with Windows 2000. For the first time ever, I'm pretty happy with Windows as technology.
.NET, MS, Passport, and all the rest. People will listen to you -- despite the ill fated graffiti campaign, you guys have a lot of corporate gravitas behind you.
Now the issues that drive my loyalty to Linux have more to do with a fear of MS's power in the industry and what they might do with it. I'm talking about issues like privacy and crippled systems that serve the interests of large intellectual property owners rather than the people who buy the machines.
I've always assumed that IBM's interest in Linux derives from a wariness of MS's power and what they might do with it as well -- although I suspect that IBM is more worried about being muscled financially and technologically.
As a marketing guy, can you tell us if IBM willing to take the issues I'm afraid of to the public? A MS monopoly isn't in anyone's interests but MS's, and I know that issues of privacy are important to the public. People want the machines that they pay for to be working for them, not some big company.
I know companies have to look towards the bottom line, but IBM could do a lot to make the world a better place by stepping up to the plate here and taking on
And a world where MS controls authentication and transactions isn't in IBM's interest either.
We need you to back out of the crippled hardware business (the hard drives), and tell people why IBM and Linux are in the public interest. Cartoon penguins aren't going to do anything to the MS juggernaut.
Tux is cute. Linux nerds love Tux. However, he is a bit pudgy.
Do you see IBM advertising linux with a thinner, perhaps large breasted, penguin? (Hm...needa new name....Tuxi?) It if linux is going to break into the market on a large scale, it will need to market on the same playing field.
Tuxi could team up with Lara Croft in a movie or a video game.
Know what I like about atheists? I've yet to meet one that believes God is on their side.
Not sure what site you're at but if you're in rchland take a wander through the new cubefarm in 030-2... lotsa linux boxen, everything in my cube runs linux, ditto 3/4 of the others in my row, and probably half the machines in the next row. I've also heard a large number of the chip heads over in 050 are using linux boxen on the desktop to X serve for the banks of aix machines in the labs that they do all their designs and rendering on. Or hop on bluenet #linux and ask how many people are using linux for corporate projects. Oh and much of our external open source web presense (oss.software.ibm.com for example) are linux boxen... oh and are portions of www.wimbledon.org, as well as most of the other sporting events we've provided the backoffice support for. There are also some places in one of the labs where I know a pair of linux boxen attached to the site ring are providing a VPN mesh between some otherwise isolated ethernets. That's just a few off the top of my head.
How does developing Linux and Linux based applications fit into IBM's long history of being a leader in developing a massive IP portfolio?
Does IBM see Linux merely as a platform that can't be controlled by MS, or do they see it as something more? Is it merely another platform to plug users in to IBM's proprietary software, or is it a venture to try to make software which more closely meets user needs?
I have nothing against proprietary systems. It is just that if the company is going to "Spend One Billion Dollars on Linux", I'd rather PR didn't spin that as some altruistic venture. It's one thing to spend money developing the Linux kernel, gcc, filesystems, gui environments, networking protocols, etc., and releasing them as Open Source. It's a completely different thing to port proprietary programs to Linux, closed source.
What's the projected break down in Open Source development vs. closed source development of that "One Billon Dollars"? Does IBM plan to make money directly from software they develop Open Source, or do they merely see such software as enabling the sales of their proprietary software?
Thank you,
Ryan Warner
But they can't, as long as they're using the PPC processor. Unless they wanted compatibility with LinuxPPC, but that wouldn't get them anywhere considering the lack of packaged software for it.
D
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MS To Blow Imaginary $1 billion hyping WinXP to stardom
The gist is that Microsoft itself is probably spending about $ 200 million, relying on $300 million from Intel and unspecified amounts from resellers and smaller companies to make up the $1 billion total.
So it may not be as hard to counteract as it looks. I predict that Microsoft's genuinely spooky registration process is going to severely limit sales of these products. Consider the poor sap whose copy of XP expired on the plane while he was a thousand-odd miles away from his CD. He wrote a column on Ziff Davis Anchordesk about it, and boy was he pissed - even though a reboot cured the problem.
We'll see, but issues like that seem like ones that will upset "real people", not just geeks.
D
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As a Linux advocate I have installed 3 Linux servers in my corperate network. I installed them with approval but not what we really call approval in the corperate world. (I.E. the IT/IS department heads and the MIS director does not know they are there, nor will they.) Cince the CTO and the MIS director are horribly under informed about what is good for the company IT/IS wise and just listen to the Microsoft Sales(specalists) reps that take them out to lunch on a weekly basis what can I do to market Linux to my own company? The 3 situations where I have Linux running are because Windows products Cannot do the job/ or in one case fails to do the job reliably. How can us in the trenches help market linux? Let's base this on the fact that we have a MS server that crashes and loses information every 3-6 months, and noone cares, and just says "restore from backups" while after installing A Linux server I get "If that crashes once your head will roll". How do we fight such underhanded tactics from inside our company let alone from Microsoft directly. How can I effectively market something that MIS forces to play by different rules?
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
Let me take a crack at some of your concerns. AIX has a nitch that I doubt linux can crack in the near future, clustering. Now I know everyone is going to scream "linux can cluster" at this but hear me out. Linux currently does not have SMP processing to handle what your average SP cluster can. Another issue in this market is filesystems, and while IBM's jfs has been released open source, the tools and utilities for it (where the true power lies for jfs) haven't been and exist only on AIX.
Another area where Linux is lacking is high quality enterprise compilers. Many scientific programs are still written in fortran (nuclear simulations, etc) and there is nothing available for Linux which can handle some of the larger applications that AIX and it's compilers can do easily (One thing IBM can really do well is write a compiler).
Linux is not the best UNIX variant, it's strength is that it is the most cross platform, but it is certainly not the best. I believe IBM plans to keep it's respective OSes popular in their nitch markets, while pushing Linux as a low cost cross platform solution. AIX will likely never run on any platform other than PPC (although it is arguable that OS/390 Unix is sort of an AIX variant running on the s/390).
Finkployd
Is IBM's RS/6000 not a PPC based system?
Finkployd
Why would IBM sell a solution to a customer, where that solution happened to run Linux instead of some other OS? What advantage(s) does Linux have that benefits IBM in a purely selfish way?
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As copyright owner of this comment, I authorize everyone to defeat any technological measure which limits access to it.
Dissenter
Dissenter
"There is no knowledge that is not power."
There has been much talk recently about the viability of linux on the desktop. IBM's commitment to Linux is well known within the Linux community, but so far this commitment has been primarily server side.
With IBM's large stake in Linux, and IBM's large size as a company, it seems that IBM would be in a unique position to help push Linux onto the desktop. If IBM were to adopt Linux as its primary desktop operating system within the company, it would surely and quickly act as a catalyst to boost the credibility of Linux on the desktop within the corporate world and would likely spur more software vendors into considering Linux versions of their corporate desktop software, especially those who have been sitting on the fence, like Adobe, and even IBM itself (with Notes, for example).
Is there any movement within IBM to increase the importance of Linux on the desktop, even perhaps adopting Linux as a significant desktop operating system within IBM?
IBM didn't lack the Marketing for OS/2. Don't you remember the OS/2 Warp commercials on TV, months prior to the release of Win95?
I can particularly remember the Two nuns talking Russian (or something) talking about how "Chicago" is delayed again, and that there is an alternative.
What was lacking for OS/2 (and is also lacking with Linux today) are the commercial "killer" desktop apps. Unfortunately, from then till now, MS Office had just about taken over.
Was spray painting ideograms for "peace", "love", and "linux" on sidewalks in San Francisco and Chicago an affective strategy for advertising? Was the campaign successful?
Speak truth to power.
Microsoft has recently started attacking the GPL and GPL products as being inherantly anti-business. I'd like to know IBM's marketing stance.
Microsoft also seems to be favoring *BSD licences (freely available, but allowed to be modified and resold, for example as OS X, with or without a *BSD license). Were there times when IBM found it preferable to work with GPL-licensed product than with product under a *BSD license? Or is the oposite always the case?
-Ben
Given that IBM has traditionally been quite successful at this sort of game (using hardware and software sales as leads for larger services and support contracts), where does IBM stand vis a vis RedHat? IBM takes the high ground, RH takes the low? Direct competitors? Potential acquisition target?
IBM seem to be making a genuine effort to improve
Linux and make it more useful for everyone.
Are there things that someone like IBM cannot
do on this front? Obviously IBM, large as it is,
does not exist in a bubble. Are there some features you'd love Linux to have (to make it more sellable),
but which your corporate parent for some reason
cannot manage itself, which you must rely on
others for?
I guess what I want to know is how you see Linux being appreciated on an employee level at IBM.
I really like that idea. Before I went 100% Linux and StarOffice, I used SmartSuite, which I *really* liked. The tabs in WordPro were a beautiful usability feature, among a lot of other things.
Nowadays I prefer LyX, but we've standardised on StarOffice at work (the marketroids still use MS Office, but you know how it is) but if SS were multi-platform, I'm sure a number of companies like mine would at least try it out. We did try out Applix but it was lacking in intuitiveness.
The guy in the interview is a marketing director. IBM is marketing itself as a company that supports Free software and open computing while their actions show that they are willing to take the center-stage in technological movements out to do the exact opposite. If that is not hipocrisy, then what it?
Would you defend an oil company marketing itself as environmentally friendly while in truth not giving a shit about nature on the same grounds?
No doubt there are people at IBM with different opinions on these issues, but I am asking for the position of IBM as a corporate entity. Large as it may be, IBM is still a single corporate entity, and cannot escape from the label of hipocrisy if it practices are inreconciable with what it preaches.
I know these seem like lots of questions but they are really all on the same subject that is just not easily worded.
IBM is certainly pouring a lot money into Linux development recently. Why is this? Is it purely an anti-Microsoft maneuver? Was it ever?
I have noticed very few open-source developers working on IBM sponsored projects for Linux that then help move that work to AIX, which was why Sun tried to work with the community. Is IBM using the Linux developemnt for a testbed for AIX, or are you planning on replacing AIX sometime in the distant future? Let me elaborate on this further. I know the announced plan to have Linux and AIX coexist, but Operating Systems notoriously do not survive in the same market, even with deliberate planning e.g. NT and Win 9X. Has anyone at IBM considered the possibility of losing AIX? What would be the real loss for IBM? The company could still make money doing what it does best by providing support for Linux on their hardware.
Remember that the more two projects overlap the less likely they are both going to come out the other side. With the current speed of development for Linux we do not yet know what types of computing it will spread into but I imagine that not many OSes will be not in competition with it. Afterall Linux is already running on embedded systems, pdas, x86s, sparcs, alphas, macs, s/390s, and more.
Devil Ducky
Devil Ducky
MY peers would get out of jury duty.
Because, when I buy a linux solution from IBM, my money is going into the corporate coffers which can support the CPRM division. It's kind of like buying a win2000 license gives money to MS, which allows them to push Passport on people.
If a corporation is doing something you don't agree with, it's important to refuse to support that corporation at all, regardless of whether you like their other products or not. That't the problem with corporate integration: the good parts and the bad parts are tied to one financial future.
---
My question is simple. Has IBM's involvement with Linux been profitable? And, do you see Linux as something that will (be/continue to be) profitable in the future?
Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken - Tyler Durden
What are your plans regarding Linux and desktop PowerPC systems? Currently, Apple is the only vendor of desktop PowerPC systems, but not too long ago IBM released the specs for generic motherboard based around the PowerPC (CHRP). Does IBM envision a future for CHRP-based Linux systems, or have they forfeited the desktop market to Intel?
Linux, and open source in general, provides the foundation for a paradigm shift from PC software as a product to software as a service.
IBM, throughout its history, has emphasized service; especially in it's high-end products. IBM has also become a formidable PC OEM vendor competing in the product-oriented PC paradigm. The last twenty years have kept IBM from showing its true strength, competing in a paradigm where the value of service is misunderstood.
Under the current paradigm, no OEM can offer complete business solutions: hardware, software, and service. The impediment has been the dependence on a closed-source operating system and applications that can be integrated by the OEM, but in the end, can only be supported by scattered vendors (with different approaches and levels of commitment to service).
Mixing Open Source with IBM software and hardware and experience in a service driven approach uniquely positions the company to offer complete, "soup-to-nuts", office solutions, and be a prime mover in the paradigm shift.
Using this approach, you can get that golden ring back from Microsoft.
What are you waiting for?
When I die, please cast my ashes upon Bill Gates -- for once, make him clean up after me!
In the long term, do you see Linux on the desktop, and if so when and by what means will it be achieved?
-no broken link
To put the question a slightly different way, are there any features in IBM operating systems that IBM is not planning to port to Linux?
steveha
lf(1): it's like ls(1) but sorts filenames by extension, tersely
IBM has committed $1B to making Linux a successful commercial platform. How does IBM envision supporting ongoing Linux development and Open Source development in general? In other words, will IBM continue to rely on the Open Source Community to keep IBM's R&D costs low, or do they plan to create a feedback mechanism that, financially or otherwise, compensates the community for its work? For example (hypothetically), if IBM needs special work done to the Linux Kernel to enable some advanced DB2 functionality, how does that work get done? Internally at IBM, or externally through the community? Furthermore, in what direction do dollars and IP rights flow within either scenario?
Much better if they make sure that all important user-space OSS packages can be natively and smootly compiled on their platform.
Ciao
----
FB
IBM has announced that it intends to spend 1 billion dollars on this Linux operating system this year. Given the size of this investment, how comfortable are you with the current "benign dictatorship" model of kernel development? Do you feel that there will eventually be a need for a Linux Kernel Foundation to direct development, similar to the Gnome Foundation? Is it possible that disagreements over the future of the kernel could lead to a fork?
Okay, so you're most likely have heard a thing or two about MS's new EULA which prohibited the use of 'virual' software with the previewed toolkit.
What concerns does IBM have about Open Source Licenses like GPL, Netscape's, etc and close sourced projects?
III.IIVIVIXIIVIVIIIVVIIIIXVIIIXIIIIIIIIVIIIIVVIII
Ever thought of spraypainting a couple of penguins on Redmond sidewalks?
icqqm [ICQ:11952102]
IBM could choose to allow free use of the patent in any open source work - as long as it stays open source. Any non-open source product would have to get a paid licenses.
Just because it CAN be done, doesn't mean it should!
I posted the above comment originally at 2. A little while afterwards, it had been moderated up +1 to 3, Insightful.
Around 10 minutes later (around 3:03), the moderation attached to my comment was down to 2, Insightful.
However, there was no evidence any change in moderation had actually occured: i.e., my total karma didn't decrease by one, and I didn't see any -1 overated/troll/flamebait, etc. attached to the comment, which is usually the case when a comment is moderated down.
What gives? I've been using /. for a while, and I've never seen anything like this phenomona before.
Sincerely,
Vergil
Vergil Bushnell
Insects and Grafitti Photos
I hope not to hear the usual "linux has no future on the desktop".
I think hat Linux has a great future as a high-performance multimedia platform, but corporate world still seems to ignore it completely (audio even more than video)
Check out what the Linux Audio Developers are currently doing at www.linuxaudiodev.org, The Home of Linux Audio Development
Benno.
I am wondering if IBM is selecting Linux because it would be cheaper to have the code from the linux community then it would be to hire a dozen AIX engineers?
If this is the case are you planning to eventually replace AIX or donate AIX to the linux community and drive the development cost of the operating system to near zero?
http://saveie6.com/
OS/2 had a major drawback: the lack of applications and drivers (I remember buying drivers for OS/2 for a certain device...). This was a really serious issue. Back in the day, I ran mostly DOS stuff and Win 3.11 stuff on it. The advantage was simple: app goes down, system stays up. I even used the office package (very usable!) that came with the bonus pack with OS/2 Warp to write papers. Needless to say that I can't read those docs nowadays. (not that I need to, mind...) For the rest: nope...nothing available for reasonable prices. This lack kept back a lot of WfW3.11 users to jump over to the sleeker OS/2.
Linux doesn't have this disadvantage: most things do exist....not always completely usable by the "normal user" but usable nevertheless. The backing of a big company could for instance make the support/implementation better for existing appications.
As for marketing campaings: back in the days OS/2 was "hot" there were numerous full-page ads in business magazines (mouse talking to an elephant comes to mind, so does a ferrari with bike pedals which made a bit of a derision of Windows without naming it). The ads were not targeted to the general public as for Windows 95 (no TV ads, no hype) but they were there. Don't forget that OS/2 was thought back then for the business customer...I think that was the major mistake, but IBM can learn from mistakes, I hope. Besides, did you ever see a mainstream ad for Windows NT4? I don't think so.
Ahhh...the great dumpster continuum. Many a free computer will be found there. -- sowth (748135)
So, did the grafiti campaign work? Did the news articles help? What happened with the fines / community service? Does upper managment approve of the result? Did anyone expect legal complaints before the campaign?
-- .sig are belong to us!
All your
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
Compaq and Redhat are newcomers. Redhat particularly. The boost for Linux is that IBM is backing it enough to put their own name and services behind it. If Linux fails to impress enough business buyers that IBM backs away from it, it's a sure bet that other vendors will follow suit, and Linux will be quickly dismissed as a serious contender for any project and would be relegated to the hobby bin.
Most likely the failure of Linux is what Microsoft would love to see, hence their bad-mouthing Open Source and GPL. That they have chosen to throw stones is a sure indication that Linux is a serious threat. IBM + Linux, moreso.
-- .sig are belong to us!
All your
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
For Linux to become poular with the mainstream, it's going to have to become:
1) extremely easy to use, especially older folks who can't or don't want to learn complicated systems.
2) very pretty. General society likes buying things that are colorful, and simply look nice.
However, it (Linux) was designed with the programmer/hardcore user in mind, to offer power and stability at the expense of ease of use and beauty.
Even though XWindows is easy to use and looks nice, going as far as being able to appease the mainstream will most likely turn off us geeks from using it.
How do you intend on making the interface easy to use and "colorful" while still maintaining a powerful command-line, and have each not interfere with the other.
Why is IBM so terrible at marketing?
It seems to me that IBM has never been successful selling software for small systems. For example, OS/2 was a good operating system, but was terribly marketed. IBM called it Warp, as in bent out of shape.
IBM bought Lotus, and the Lotus desktop products continued dying.
Right now, IBM is trying to market web software using two men in funny-looking space suits. The woman who put the campaign together obviously is ignorant about technical products and technical people.
Is the involvement with Linux a way to ally IBM with a successful software product, so that it can concentrate on hardware and support? Why is IBM so terrible at marketing?
Bush's education improvements were
IBM once, perhaps still, has demonstrated Windows NT on AS/400. Will there be Linux for AS/400?
If you can't beat them, embrace and extend them.
Question: Those two guys in the IBM ads, you know, from the alternate universe where open source software doesn't exist? What happens if you take off their space helmets? Do they explode or something?
Was the San Francisco Linux "Graffiti" part of a bigger, broader conspiracy to take over the world or was it just marketing-gone-wrong(tm)?
--Volrath50
How much effort is IBM putting towards improving the VisualAge support for Linux? I think that if there was a strong push to get VisualAge for C/C++ and foundation libraries out to developers, there would be a chance to improve corporate/government willingness to move desktops and internal developed applications to GNULinux.
I think the server market is going well, but the workstation market needs help like this.
It's easy to write songs, you just sit down and write them.
The only thing it will take to put large numbers of Linux machines on the home desktop is a really good game that is available only on Linux. Many gamers are real fanatics. Of course, that means a game written from scratch for Linux, not a port of some Windows success.
Gnome or KDE?
Doesn't the console-oriented (edit each command line locally on terminals and press [enter] to send the whole string) nature of the 400 make it basically impossible to run an operating system other than OS/400 or similar?
D
----
I'm not trying to belittle the Linux effords that IBM currently shows, but if I look i.e. at JFS I wonder how much resources IBM is actually putting behind those effords. It's a port from OS/2 JFS not AIX. Why? The project isn't moving very fast nor is the mailing list very active...
Would it help create a "critical mass" of Linux Desktops if a multi-vendor consensus desiged a quickly installable, common "first boot" Linux Desktop?
Is there value, in market building terms, of bringing to desktop Linux "The Familiar Windows Experience" of allowing a low-to-medium skilled user to sit down at a new-to-them "Standard" machine where they have a reasonable expection of knowing where resources can be found?
- By "Common Desktop Install", I mean a single CD which would after 3-8 clicks, auto install a fairly well tuned desktop version of the OS with a single GUI showing, plus several major productivity packages like Star Office, Netscape etc. Under the hood stuff would still be unique to each vendor, but what the lightweight user saw would be highly consistent.
I do not suggest removing the customizing capabilities of the OS, only the creation of a common first boot desktop for the masses.In Nearly All Paradigms, Shift Happens.
I strongly disagree. As an organization gets bigger it tends to be less monolithic and more factional. We don't (or shouldn't) label the United States Government as hypocritical when Congress and the President have different opinions on the issues and try to implement different plans. We don't (or shouldn't) lable the EU as hypocritical because the French and Germans have different policies on some issues. Why should IBM be labeled as hypocritical because two of its branches take different views about the importance of user freedom vs. restriction?
There's no point in questioning authority if you aren't going to listen to the answers.
In a world where one OS (Windows) has a de facto monopoly on the desktop market, how then do you go about winning people over to Linux? By "people," I am not just referring to those with a high degree of technological knowledge -- I am referring to everyone. Students, businesses, heck, even housewives.
---
DOOR!!
I pledge allegiance to the flag...
of the Corporate States of America...
What do you see as a viable economic model for Software and/or Software/Services companies who want to develop purely Open Source software for marketing to Consumers and or Customers? What does this mean for Business to Business relationships involving such companies?
Windows is more convenient than Linux just as having an ingrown toenail is more convenient than seeing a podiatrist.
Will IBM's marketing actually get behind this? At one time IBM had a superior OS (OS/2). However, due to their marketing (OR LACK THERE OF), IBM allowed the evil M$ to market it's way to the giant it is today. I believe IBM is capable of making a superior product again, but without proper marketing, and support from higher IBM management, it will sit on the shelf like OS/2.
--
Care about electronic freedom? Consider donating to the EFF!
Sun puts it's money where it's mouth is by ensuring that everyone from CEO to secretary uses a Sun box running Solaris as their workstation. They don't use Microsoft Office, they use Sun Star Office instead.
So if IBM has such faith in Linux, why aren't they using Linux on their workstation internally. Even if that is too big a step for the entire company, the tech staff would be able to cope if you made the move.
Given that any company can market Linux tools and computers, where's IBM's edge in this market over other players like Compaq and RedHat who have been there longer?
What's your damage, Heather?
Was the defacement of city streets with paint that "didn't clean up as well as we thought" intended, or just a nice side effect? Would you reccommend this path to others? Do you know where I can buy some highway paint? I hear that stuff is really tough to clean.
How does Microsoft's current campaign against Open Source in general (and the GPL and Linux) affect thinking and plans in the marketing arm? Is this something to worry about, or just Microsoft redirection? Do you have any plans to get anyone to attend the discussion hosted by O'Reilly? What is the best way for the average person (essentially, non-CIO's) to influence platform shifts?
Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. -John Lennon
--
Do you plan to market Linux as an enterprise workstation replacement? Specifically, I wonder if you plan to market Linux desktops for replacements for Windows 9x/NT/2000 workstations, and how you plan to market them.
Now, I'm a happy consumer of several IBM products. I'm not seeking to question the validity of the Big Blue intellectual property vault, nor am I doubting IBM's ability to develop innovative products.
I've looked at several of your corporation's software patents. In my humble, uneducated opinion, patents such as these (and others) owned by IBM might conceivably either be enforced against, or hinder (just by their existence, prima facie validity and the implied, interpreted threat of an infringement suit)the work of a free-software developer.
We've heard what Bruce Perens has to say about software patents. I'd like to ask you just how far is IBM willing to go in embracing Linux and/or the free-software movement? Specifically, is IBM willing to take a hard look at its patent practices, and potentially committ to sharing its intellectual property with free software developers?
Sincerely,
Vergil
Vergil Bushnell
Insects and Grafitti Photos
In it's 1995 Annual Report, IBM touted Network Computing as the "Future of Computing". I'm not completely sure of the history, but that seems to have died, to be replaced by - ostensibly - MS's .NET strategy.
Can Network Computing be considered something of a 'Holy Grail' for the business software environment? And is it IBM strategy to leverage Linux to support an alternative NC architecture based on OS concepts, tools, and products; one that could possibly usurp the MS monopoly on the business software environment?
Please say Yes.
SDMI: Finally! Music that won't rip or burn! Brought to you by the fine folks at RIAA.
Could you please tell us what the most common variation on the "Why should we use Linux instead of (what we already have)" question you receive is? What is your general response?
Thanks in advance.
Obliteracy: Words with explosions
A lot of people (me, too) embrace the Linux philosophy as well as Linux itself. IBM has embraced Linux; how much of the philosophy have they embraced?
As a PR person, you try to encourage a certain viewpoint. During meetings, is the Linux philosophy presented as a tool to be used against us, or as a way of changing people's concepts of software-- that is, do you try to sell the Linux philosophy as well as Linux, or are you selling Linux by using the philosophy?
Microsoft is to software what Budweiser is to beer.
In my opinion Linux has a long way to go before it can make it to the home desktop. Ease of use is one of the greatest inhibitors. However, the corporate desktop has very different requirements. Security, remote management, reliablility, simple license management and at the same time, a corporate desktop requires only a handful of very clearly defined employee responsabilities.
As I see it, the greatest limitation Linux experiences on the corporate desktop is interfacing with customers running MS Office, and secondly, Linux lacks a corporate email package. That requirement could be filled quite perfectly by Lotus Notes.
Is IBM taking steps to sell Linux on the corporate desktop as a simple and secure alternative to Microsoft's mindboggleingly complex Licensing and questionable security? If so, what is being done to address the lack of MS Office document compatability, and the lack of a client email/database package such as Lotus Notes?
Today I came across a ZDNet story (yah, yah) where MS sid it will spend $1 billion US to market and promote WXP. You guys have said you'll spend the same amount on Linux.
Now: for as long as I can remember, IBM has been synonymous with "good technology, bad marketing". OS/2 stands out as a particular example.
Do you think that a cool (Dr. Evil style) 1 billion of MS's marketing dollars can match the same amount of IBM's best and brightest cranking on Linux? Do you see this as a marketing battle, a technology battle, or both (I doubt its neither, although philosophical issues factor in too)?
ZOMG I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS ON MACINTOSH VERSUS WINDOWS, VI VERSUS EMACS, AND HOW YOU'RE NOT A DORK
Now that IBM appears to commited to Linux, where does this put AIX? And will we see an AIX compatibility library for Linux?
Jumpstart the tartan drive.
Hi,
I've been generally impressed at the level of support IBM has given to various open source project such as Apache. Other areas however have obviuously been neglected, for example the opening of drivers. Witness this recent thread on the linux kernel mailing list in which one Dan Streetman from IBM states plainly:
But management doesn't listen to me when I say it will never get accepted so I had to make a token effort of submitting it to prove it won't get accepted. And I did try hard to convince them to release the actual driver but it didn't work.
This obviously makes linux developers doubtful about the real motivations behind IBMs open source efforts:
I find it very odd indeed with IBM's big voice of open source praise, yada yada, and what Lou has said in the past, that there would be any question at all of wether it would be open source or not. Isn't big blue behind open source? Or is it just for publicity? Makes me wonder now... -- Mike A. Harris
My question is the following:
Will IBMs open source effort in the future be limited to the obvious areas (net/web related stuff, linux ports to IBM hardware) or are there any plans to educate other IBM departments about the benefits of opening the development process? If yes, are there any practical examples (winmodem drivers for thinkpad laptops, etc.)?
Thanks in advance
I strongly believe that trying to be clever is detrimental to your health. -- Linus Torvalds
How can IBM reconcile it's spoken commitment to Linux and Free software software with it's center-stage activity in projects like CPRM on harddisks and SDMI for music?
Even if IBM does not recognize that these user hostile technologies are at 180 degrees to the ethics and values on which the society in which they wish to parktake are based, how do they believe that these technologies, which rely on laws to keep the user from working around them, can possibly made compatible with an open software model?
Does IBM believe that they continue to use the Linux and Free software message of Freedom and cooperation ("Peace, love, linux") as a corporate image while working on technologies whose only purpose is the control users and take away their natural freedoms?
How does IBM as a corporation stand in regard to the American DMCA and similiar acts internationally within the WIPO treaties, which many Free software developers consider a threat to our movement?
&& Oskar Sandberg
I work for a very, very, very huge company that still uses quite a few MS products.
.ppt format? :-)
Several other like-minded folks across many of the daughter business have recently begun trying to formulate a plan of attack viz. Linux acceptance.
I assume when IBM pitches Linux to corporations you have some sort of metric that gauges linux against other os's and shows various strengths and weaknesses.
Are these metrics/comparisons available to the general public? Preferebly in management friendly
Given that there are a wealth of Linux distributions already available in the marketplace, it seems that IBM has to choose one (or more), or create one (or more).
So, will IBM create a Linux distribution (or multiple distributions)?
If not, why? And what distributions will/has IBM choose to support/market?
If so, why? And will that/those distribution(s) compete with other distributions (i.e. be directly available) or only (or at least primarily) available as part of an IBM 'solution'?
1. Any plans to release (note I didnt say open) lotus notes for linux? This is a very strong product, very popular in corporate circles (even now!), and would help in the fight for legitimacy in the eyes of corporate managers.
2. Any plans to open ANY of the technologies in OS/2 to the linux/open source world? Since it is not a currently supported product (although that seems to change from year to year), it shouldnt hurt the bottom line too much. Any technology you can offer from previous OS efforts are going to be helpful.
Thanks for answering these questions, as I have been wondering about them for months.
GPL'd web-based tradewars themed space game
First off, by way of disclaimer, I'm an IBM employee, but am posting this as an individual and am quite sure my manager neither knows nor cares about the contents of my question. :)
It's great to see that IBM is committing to an open approach, both in their specific funding of Linux development, but also in their more general push to use open, standard technologies like XML and Java, and to participate in the standards process. On the other hand, IBM holds more patents than any other business in the world, by a fair majority, and what's more, are quite proud of this standing. Now I am not at all knocking IBMs desire to produce patentable technology, and I do think it is indicative of their technological leadership that they have acquired them,
but...
I'm wondering how IBM's dedication to openness will interact with their commitment to producing patentable technology. Will IBM's contributions to open source projects include these patentable ideas, and will open source projects in which IBM participates be licensed to employ said ideas, even to freely distribute software based on them? If IBM is willing to do this, how will they ensure that their patented IP is not picked up and incorporated into competing products? If not, could you give us some insight into the decision making process as regards these patents, and why IBM's openness strategy does not extend to them?
Johnath
Ooh. I've got another. Given how Gung-Ho IBM is about the whole Open Source thing, why do they insist on basing the entire internal business on a proprietary mail system (Lotus Notes) and proprietary word processor formats (Mostly Lotus Word Pro, though I occassionally get a MS Word .DOC file.) This makes it hard for the previously mentioned techies to live the Windows-Free existence that they so fervently desire. Can someone give the Lotus people the stunningly effective Al Capone teamwork speech and get them to document their file formats or at least release specs for them?
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
How do you approach your OS/2 users? Does IBM plan to move them to Linux platforms? Will any of the OS/2 goodies, like the presentation manager's link database, move to Linux?
Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.
I work for a fairly small computing firm which relies mainly on AIX but also has a fair number of Linux boxen around.
In the past few months, the question has come up more than once as to whether AIX or Linux is a more appropriate solution to whatever problem my company is current facing...and often times we've installed Linux on commodity hardware instead of buying a fancy RS/6000 machine and buying another copy of AIX.
My question is that as Linux grows in stability and wider corporate-level acceptance, what's IBM going to do about it? IBM has invested a good deal in the AIX system and I'm sure that they generate a fairly hefty revenue stream from it. Do you forsee any of the IBM Linux initiatives losing funding if they encroach on AIX market share?
On a side note, how 'bout a JFS install disk like the XFS one?
IBM makes PowerPCs. Linux runs on PowerPCs. Does IBM's commitment to Linux imply that they will take the logical step and we will finally see a commodity (non-Apple) PPC motherboard?
This project always seems to generate so much enthusiasm when presented here or in other forums that its continued non-existence is shocking. Particularly since the PPC's superior electrical characteristics have made it all the more intriguing in the current energy climate.
Kill, Tux, kill!
A few years ago I was looking for a desktop
with linux pre-installed or, at least, with
no OS. A few of the big companies (IBM, Dell)
had just made some statements about how cozy
they were with linux, so I called IBM to see
how serious this was.
I told the salesperson that I wanted to buy
an Aptiva with linux. She told me IBM sells
(and I swear I'm not making this up)
"Wintel Solutions".
I told her that's an oxymoron.
She started explaining to me: " yes, it stands
for Windows and Intel".
So, two questions really, do your sales training
manuals now explain the difference between an
acronym and an oxymoron, and can I buy an Aptiva
(or whatever they are called now) with linux
installed or with no OS? One single Aptiva, not
an officefull? And... the price will be less than if I
got it with Win (right? no OS license fee).
To me this is the litmus test of a company's
commitment to linux. I'm sick of hearing that
to get linux I need to buy a server or that
I can't be sold a compuer without an OS because
that means I'm pirating my OS.
"Never bullshit a bullshitter" All That Jazz
Microsoft's strength is largely in its public relations machine. When they talk, the media listens. Craig Mundie's (and therefore Microsoft's) opinion of open source and their own related plans made industry journal headlines. I'd bet many business managers have learned about MS's "shared source" plans. But there's no consistantly loud (or heard) front made against MS statements. Execs hear "open source: bad, shared source: good" from MS, but don't hear other opinions.
Does IBM plan on investing more in the image of Linux and open source? Will there be strong defensive marketing against MS statements? Do you think a closer balance can be made between pro-Microsoft and pro-Linux marketing?
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Developers: We can use your help.
Although your marketing and R&D seems to be focused on the server roles of Linux, do you see Linux as a desktop solution, and if so how are you helping develop that area?
As a customer who has been with IBM for years we are looking at retiring some of our old AS/400's. We are trying to find other uses for them, and with over 100GB of disk Linux makes an attractive option, but we are saddened to see that IBM seems to have made no effort to try to support Linux at all on the 400.
With the recent support IBM has been giving to the Linux community are there any plans to start devoting resources to the Linux on the as/400 project?
DocWatson
MessEdUp
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