Yahoo!/Reuters: Tech's Last Hope -- Services -- May Be Fading as Well

"One of the technology industry's last defenses against a weak economy -- its steady stream of services business -- may have started to fall, kicking out one of the last supports after hardware and software sales have faltered.

Titans such as IBM Corp. (NYSE:IBM) have parlayed their expertise into long-term consulting contracts with corporations to keep computer systems humming and integrate complicated technology.

The subscription contracts, which often run for years, have been a welcome, steadying influence on results for vendors such as IBM."

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