CNET News.com: IBM exec touts Linux as key to Net evolution

“IBM’s e-business guru Irving Wladawsky-Berger views Linux
naysayers in the same light as he once did those who doubted the
business potential of the Internet: with a healthy degree of
skepticism.”

“Earlier this month, Big Blue announced plans to embrace Linux,
the open-source, Unix-like operating system, on all four of its
server hardware product lines. IBM also said it will improve links
between Linux and its AIX Unix operating system, and will lend more
of IBM’s own software to the Linux development effort….”

“Q: What about the impact of Linux on the future of IBM’s own
AIX operating system?”

“A: AIX is one of the examples of a more robust, mature Unix.
It’s in its 10th anniversary. It will continue to do well over a
number of years. It runs mission critical applications well and is
the best (operating system) for supercomputers. It will take quite
a number of years for Linux to catch up to those capabilities.”

“I understand that people using AIX will want to make it as
easy as possible to port Linux applications to AIX. We will
definitely use AIX to help Linux a lot. A lot of people involved
with AIX are the people involved in helping Linux grow.“

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