“Red Hat and IBM today said they have tightened their alliance,
agreeing to develop and sell new versions of IBM software atop Red
Hat’s Linux. Although the deal isn’t an exclusive relationship
for either company, it’s the most important Linux pact IBM has
signed thus far on its road to weaving Linux into the fabric of the
entire company, said Robert LeBlanc, vice president of IBM’s
software group.”
“As previously reported, the deal means even more to Red Hat,
tiny compared to vast IBM. “It’s the most significant relationship
we’ve entered into,” said Paul McNamara, vice president of products
and platforms at Durham, N.C.-based Red Hat. “What we do now is
work together to tune and optimize IBM’s software portfolio on
Linux.”
“Under the deal, Red Hat and IBM will put funding into a market
development fund. Programmers from both companies will work to make
sure Red Hat’s version of Linux meshes with several IBM
applications: DB2 database software; Lotus Domino for accomplishing
group projects; Tivoli management software; WebSphere e-business
software; and a small-business pack, or collection of software, for
Linux.”