Eric Pierce wrote:
>
> I disagree on IBM's motives. It looks to me that this is a totally
> "bottom-line" type of decision. It seems to me that they don't really think
> Linux is that powerful, they just need something to replace the aging OS/390
> on the mainframes and they want to get rid of NT on the low-end (Intel)
> servers. If they really thought that Linux and open source was going to be
> the "Next Big Thing" for servers, they would be promoting Linux for all
> their platforms, not just the S/390 and the xSeries. If Open Source is so
> important to IBM, where is the source to AIX, WebSphere, or any of their
> other programs?
>
We don't need it. Who cares? To IBM, Linux and Open Source are only a
means to an end. That end is to sell hardware and services, and to
achieve a strategic advantage over the competition by encouraging, and
participating in a new world order developing in the computer industry.
> The power of the Linux phenomenon is not in Linux itself...there is nothing
> about it fundamentally different than any other Unix.
True, but what is different is not technical. The differences are its'
support by a large international community, it's GPL enforced freedom(as
in speech), and the un-precedented porting to almost all hardware
platforms.
Here's the power in Linux: Suppose for a moment that everyone on the
world spoke the same language. What would be the impact. All language
barriers gone. Linux has the potential remove all software barriers
between computers. Imagine being able to write a piece of software in
any language and know that it can run on practically any computer in
the world -- everything from small embedded systems to the largest
mainframe. With a common commodity OS that can become reality. IBM
wants that for all it's hardware and they're starting with "low hanging
fruit" -- the servers. That never happened with the proprietary
unices. They all fought among themselves to differentiate their
offerings so as to lock in their customers. The result was an
incompatible disaster. It's easier to port from Unix to NT than from
Unix to Unix! I know this from experience.
IBM's "other projects" are counter-productive to the "bigger picture".
We don't need the source to AIX. AIX is so similar that Linux software
runs on it just fine. AS/400 can run Linux software too. VM-S/390
will become a Hardware Abstraction Layer for Linux.
Here's the real power of Linux for IBM -- delivering what Java only
promised -- write once, run anywhere and pick your own language.
Ed.
> The important
> distinction is that Linux is Free (as in speech, beer doesn't matter as
> much). Free Software is what creates the flexibility that Linux is famous
> for. That flexibility is what allows IBM to run it on a S/390 in the first
> place, yet it seems that they are not interested in Freeing any of their
> other projects.
>
> #########################################################################
> Eric Pierce Phone: (813) 974-8868
> Academic Computing Fax: (813) 974-1799
> University of South Florida
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: slug@nks.net [mailto:slug@nks.net]On Behalf Of Paul M Foster
> > Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2001 7:02 PM
> > To: slug@nks.net
> > Subject: Re: [SLUG] Tonight's Presentation
> >
> >
> > Oooo, I like _all_ of those!
> >
> > Aside from _what_ IBM is doing and _how_, the why is essentially this:
> > IBM wanted to be ahead of the curve on this one. They've missed the boat
> > several times, and here was a case where they could see the writing on
> > the wall with regard to Linux. One other important point: IBM has no
> > interest in Linux on the desktop. That's not what they're pushing.
> >
> > As for the video, I'd guess it was a little over an hour. Someone is
> > duping copies, so I imagine we can probably get one.
> >
> > HTH,
> >
> > Paul
> >
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