OLinux: What is the group behind Linux at IBM (ibm open source site)? How are they divided and coordinated? Is there a central coordination for the project? Who is responsible for that?

IBM : Linux solutions touch the entire corporation -- hardware, software and services. IBM has established the Linux Technology Center as a focal point for its technical contributions to Linux. The center, which has a dedicated staff of engineers, manages the transfer of IBM technology to the open source community.

OLinux: How and when was Linux at IBM (the site) started? Was it a sort of top level and strategic decision or was it taken after clients/ companies started asking for liunx solutions?

IBM : We began to see customer desire for Linux. IBM started to a formal Linux plan in 1998. We were begining to see customer desire and visionaries in some of our customer segments. viewing Linux as a wave of the future. Along with other open standards, such as HTTP, XML and TCP, we view Linux as playing a pivotal role in bringing interoperability to disparate server platforms and providing customers with an open, integrated e-business structure.

OLinux: How is the work coordinated and managed (servers, directories, contribution, staff payment)? How many people are involved world wide?

IBM : IBM's Linux strategy is to Linux enable all hardware, software and services. There are thousands of people working worldwide on this major initiative.

OLinux: How much has IBM invested ($) on research (labs, staff) and marketing it solutions?

IBM : Overall, IBM has invested millions of dollars in Linux. We will invest more than $200 million in a series of Linux initiatives in Europe and Asia Pacific over the next four years. These investments will include Linux development centers across Europe and Asia, alliances with Linux-focused business partners, along with the rapid deployment of about 600 specialized Linux consultants, hardware and software specialists, and services professionals. In the US, IBM has dedicated millions of dollars to help fund the Open Source Development Lab with Intel, NEC, HP and other Linux leaders.

OLinux: From the start, IBM has contributed in many ways to chage conceptions on the computing world. How strategic was the decision to embrace Linux platform?

IBM : The decision was very strategic. For IBM, it's an inflection point that's associated with our focus on creating e-business solutions. We're helping companies build content solutions, commerce solutions, operations solutions--and Linux is a standard that we can use to help integrate all of these. It makes it much easier to move application components around. As a company, we're very sensitive to what it takes to achieve integration, because we're not just focused on selling this or that hardware platform. Linux will become the application development platform of choice for developers because of its multi-platform nature, and because it's not owned by any vendor. As a result of that, you can have vendors collaborating on standards.

OLinux: Was there any connection related to IBM's decision to suport Linux and the retirement of OS2 platform?

IBM : By embracing Linux, we are providing our customers with a choice of operating systems. The decision to embrace Linux is separate from OS2.

OLinux: What are the main research regarding software development projects going on? What´s the database program and programming tools and languages used (Perl, C)? How many developers work for IBM?

IBM : In the Software Group of IBM, we are currently working very hard to make sure all of our mission-critical software is able to support Linux. We have an expansive research and development team at IBM, with the actual number of developers in the thousands.

OLinux: Give us an idea of what Monterey Project represents for IBM?

IBM : The Project Monterey initiative was originally intended to enhance AIX with technologies from IBM's DYNIX/ptx (formerly of Sequent) and SCO's UnixWare operating systems, as well as to extend support for this enhanced AIX operating system to Intel's IA-64 bit architecture. AIX 5L, to be released later this year, demonstrates the success of the Project Monterey initiative, incorporating technology from the world's leading software and hardware providers, while maintaining the robustness of AIX.

AIX 5L -- the next generation of AIX -- takes AIX to the next level with leadership technology, a strong Linux affinity and added support for both IBM's Power and Intel's future IA-64 processor-based platforms, making it the most open UNIX in the industry. IBM, SCO/Caldera and Intel will continue to work together on AIX 5L for IA-64. We anticipate that future releases of AIX will continue to incorporate valuable technologies from IBM and the industry to satisfy requirements from many OEM system providers, independent hardware providers and independent software providers and deliver AIX 5L for IA-64 offerings and solutions.