IBM allows 500 patents to be freely used in open source software.

[swestrup]

IBM announced recently that they have been reconsidering their entire approach to intellectual property and how they manage it, and in the first of what they say will be a number of changes in their policies, they are allowing 500 of their patents to be used freely in open source products.

Lets all hope this is the start of a new trend.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/hub_/]

On Monday IBM shares closed down 10 cents to $95.68.

Stupid stock market.

BTW, sometime I wonder if IBM really support Linux. You cannot buy a ThinkPad without Windows, Linux support is not always perfect because of proprietary hardware (even if these a probably in the best laptops to run Linux on), and their printer manufacturer subsidiary, Lexmark, still do not provide real drivers for Linux (ie with the source code) but only strange binary modules, including some you have to load into your kernel. I hope the seriously change that.
It is probably the side effect of being a giant organization.

[lasher.livejournal.com]

As someone who works in IBM... and is close to the tech support organization for AIX... there is a lot of support for Lunix ON THE SERVERS. There are large delelopment and support organizations dedicated to Linux - especially for the new POWER5 hardware architecture. (note: IBM is in the process of merging hardware lines. example: you can now run OS/400, Linux, or AIX (my personal favorite) on the same hardware.

But you are correct, in the realm of laptops... not much support for Linux from IBM... but then... we don't even own our PC division anymore... we just sold it off. And well, frankly, the development and support side isn't perfect... lots of gaps... but it has come a long way in the last 3 years.

[swestrup]

IBM has come a very long way. When I started in the industry, IBM was hated with a passion that is now exclusively reserved for Microsoft. They have gone from being the Evil Empire to a Somewhat-more-enlightened-than-usual corporation and I tip my hat to them for the change, even if it took federal legislation to start the ball rolling.

[lasher.livejournal.com]

ya, I know what you mean about the change. i never thought that I would work for IBM. I only know of the black wool Suits. Stuffy attitude. Formality. However, I didn't come into IBM until 1997 in the middle / end of their "reform". Thank you to Lou Gerstner for that change. I lucked out and started in the AIX Support Center where everyone was "business casual" for dress... except that our managers didn't want to dress up either... so we were even less formal than that. This was in the middle of the big "dot com bubble" and life was good.

In fact, I really LIKE working for IBM. However, I qualify this statement by saying that I really like working for the part of IBM that I am in now (development). If I still had to work in the tech support area - I would have quit long ago. So, it is all relative. Especially when you consider that moving to another employer could yield the same problems. IBM has amazing health, vacation, and retirement benefits - well, more amazing for those of us hired before Jan 1 of 2004. Whenever I think that "my job sucks"... I just remember those benefits and that I can be in a job that sucks without them.

[http://users.livejournal.com/hub_/]

But you are correct, in the realm of laptops... not much support for Linux from IBM... but then... we don't even own our PC division anymore...

That is a real shame. I have yet to see laptop of the quality of IBM. I have a ThinkPad 600E at work, it would have been mine, I'd probably still be using it. The only that compares to the design and Apple PowerBooks, but the quality is not exactly the same as for example Titanium PowerBook had a case that broke easily... unlike IBM's. Everything else I tried, Dell, Toshiba, Compaq, HP, no-name, was crap.

Damn, next time I'll buy a laptop, I'll have a real problem choosing.

[lasher.livejournal.com]

yea, I do have to say that I like working on my IBM T41. I've dropped it (in the laptop carry bag though) and it came out just fine. I also love how light weight that it is.

I am afraid the quality will go down now that we have sold off the PC division. I hope that we dont let the new guys manaufacture and then stick our name on it. I'd rather just not sell PCs at all than do that. If you didnt know, we sold off our hard drive division a couple of years ago too. IBM just hasnt been able to make either remotely profitable... and hence, bye bye bye. *sigh*

Fortunately, I dont have a *need* for a laptop vs a PC except when I travel. I only travel for work about 2 times per year on average. So for my personal, non work system, I dont bother with a laptop. I had a nice tower built (mwave.com) rather than going and getting a "dell" or "compaq" etc. This way, I got to customize my PC guts. I've had no problems with that system and I got it almost 2 years ago.

[http://users.livejournal.com/hub_/]

When it comes to desktop, I assemble. This is the best way. Pick your component, etc. And best price value.

But I have needs for a laptop, just because I have it with me really often, etc.