Thursday, June 19, 2008

Is open source only good for undermining competitors?

I usually try very hard to not write about IBM. But the following from Matt Asay requires a reply.

Regardless, IBM isn't in the habit of open sourcing technology in which it has a lead or at least a strong position, such as it does with DB2. IBM strategically invests in open source to undermine the margins of its competitors, not its own.

Really? Take a look into OSGi, SCA, Apache HTTP Server or the countless other open source projects into which IBM has open sourced technology. This technology didn't undermine competitors; it helped customers and competitors alike (and let's not forget that competitor contributions helped IBM).

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