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IBM Turns to Open Source Development

Posted by Zonk on from the turning-up-in-lots-of-places dept.

mmmbop writes "'Is open source changing the way that software is made? It is at IBM. BetaNews sat down with Doug Heintzman, IBM Software Group's VP of Strategy and Technology, to discuss the adoption of a hybrid development model called Community Source that combines the best elements of the open source model with decades of IBM programming practice - avoiding a top down approach that IBM says could make Microsoft's Longhorn obsolete upon arrival.' A long read, but well worth it."

5 of 142 comments (clear)

  1. IBM: good for open source by Sheetrock · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I've worked with IBM products for a long time, and I think of all the computer companies their adoption of open source techniques for software development surprises me least.

    Traditionally IBM's methodologies have been very close to (and predate) that of open source, which derived much of its culture and programming mindset from that of IBM or Bell Labs. Their documentation as compared to other hardware/software developers has always encouraged the user to learn about and extend the environment in which they work rather than supporting only a superficial "click here, then there" mentality.

    IBM has always been good for open source. It makes sense that open source can be good for IBM as well.

    --

    Try not. Do or do not, there is no try.
    -- Dr. Spock, stardate 2822-3.




  2. They could show their true dedication ... by CyricZ · · Score: 3, Interesting

    They could show their true dedication to open source by releasing the code behind OS/2 and AiX. While it will of course take time, effort and money on the part of both developers and lawyers, it would be an excellent show of good-faith towards the open source community. After all, if Sun can do it with Solaris, then IBM can surely do it with AiX and OS/2.

    --
    Cyric Zndovzny at your service.
  3. Re:Seriously buzzword compliant by MrAnnoyanceToYou · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Heh. Isn't IBM just practicing to become a fully consultant-based company there? That seems to be their plan:
    1. make the best software in the world using whatever tools are at hand
    2. open source it, (automatic, considering how 1 would have to be done)
    3. and support it. (of course, this is where 'profit' would normally go, but yeeah.)

    Looks like a better plan to me than other stuff.

    Just thought I'd summarize, 'cause you didn't read the whole article. :P

    --
    My little site.
  4. I hope documentation catches on by Christian+Engstrom · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Their documentation as compared to other hardware/software developers has always encouraged the user to learn about and extend the environment in which they work rather than supporting only a superficial "click here, then there" mentality.
    Digital Equipment's documentation for the OpenVMS system was also very good. For each major subject they had both a reference manual that listed things in alphabetical order, and a tutorial that gave you an introduction and explained the underlying concepts.

    And there was lots of it: the documentation for OpenVMS was at least 10 or 15 feet in the bookshelf. Absolutely great.

    It is mentioned in the article that IBM hopes that they will be able to make a contribution back by introducing some of their techniques and practices into the Open Source world. If there is one area where I really hope they succeed, it is if they were to inspire people to spend more time on documentation.

    After all, what good is a program that does exactly what you want, if you can't find out that it exists and how it works by surfing the net? If I have to download and unpack something just to see if there happens to be some more or less cryptic files that I can read to see if it was worth downloading and unpacking, the chances are very slim that I'm gonna bother. And I think many people are like me in this respect.

    --
    Christian Engström, Former Member of the European Parliament 2009-2014 for The Pirate Party, Sweden
  5. Re:Seriously buzzword compliant by timothy_m_smith · · Score: 3, Interesting

    IBM's approach is to sell you the whole thing: servers, software, and services. They'll give you a good price on one to make a profit on the others. Open Source might be a piece of the software, but rarely is it the whole thing. WebSphere, Notes/Domino, DB2 and MQSeries all generate good money for IBM. Don't confuse IBM w/Red Hat or a services-only company b/c they're not.

    When companies start an outsourcing deal w/IBM, IBM comes in and replaces all the hardware, and migrates as much of the software to their stuff that they can.