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Big Blue's Software Spending Spree

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the corporate-sized-shopping-carts dept.

abb_road writes "IBM has gone on an aggressive acquisitions spree for document management packages in the past three weeks, spending more than $2 billion to pick up two companies. The companies, Webify and FileNet, are expected to become part of IBM's Information on Demand strategy. The acquisitions point to a larger industry trend: a focus on software for unified corporate data management. From the article: 'It's a crucial time to jockey for most-valuable-software-provider status, because companies want to buy more from fewer players, and they're tired of buying stand-alone pieces of software like customer-relationship management that don't fix real-world business problems. The new message to software vendors: Fix my call centers, don't just sell me a product. As a result, the lines are starting to blur between software companies that offer, say, Internet security, databases, and tools to manage nearly every part of the business. So, too, are the lines between service companies and software companies.'"

3 of 85 comments (clear)

  1. I'm a little confused by truthsearch · · Score: 4, Insightful

    IBM definitely has the resources to create many of these software services themselves for alot less money. I think it's as much about buying these companies up before the competition can than getting the software.

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    1. Re:I'm a little confused by bhmit1 · · Score: 4, Insightful
      IBM definitely has the resources to create many of these software services themselves for alot less money. I think it's as much about buying these companies up before the competition can than getting the software.
      Yes and no. They do have the people, but most are off consulting or supporting the existing product set, not developing new products. IBM has been making all their advances by acquisition for many years now. And seeing what the products look like when IBM builds them in-house, we are probably better off that way. Hint: what do you think happens when someone says don't build something new if we already have it, and they have lots of different tools? Lots and lots of ugly glue and a poor tech that has to learn 15 products to do something other places do with a single simple interface.
  2. Re:Or... by Anonymous+Monkey · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Puts on Troll Foil Hat and says...I think IBM isn't the only crazy player in this field, because businesses are trying to fix something with software that is broken on the human side of things.

    Every job I have ever had has a pattern with IT: Our people aren't sharing information or documenting their work properly, lets spend X to upgrade our computers...Our people aren't sharing information or documenting their work properly, lets spend X2 to upgrade our computers...Our people aren't sharing information or documenting their work properly, lets spend X4 to upgrade our computers...and so on.

    People need to start being more organized before any data-management software dose a bit of good.

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