I initially made the connection between the two. Long-term investment by companies like IBM in supporting open-source allows them to more easily outsource down the road, when the knowledge has spread. There is no question that open-source software is a vehicle for spreading knowledge rapidly at very low cost, and there is no reason for large patrons like IBM not to see this and take advantage of it.
Bill
This is very interesting. It is sort of the reverse effect of the Internet, which had its origins in the military-industrial complex and evolved into the people's medium. Open Source began, at least partially, as a kind of people's software platform, and is turning into the vanguard of the runaway shop phenomenon.
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