Month: November 2006

No Mark … this is not on …

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We all know about the Novell/Microsoft stuff that is going on and most if not all OSS/Linux supporting people does not agree with it.  But Mark, it is not on to use this to try to entice/convince openSUSE developers and community member to join your team.  One thing that is so great about OSS is the freedom it allows us to choose.  Whether that may be  openSUSE, Ubuntu or heaven forbid Windows, we still have that choice and for somebody like you to use things that you do not agree with to entice people to your side is not on. 

If the product/solution/service you provide is good enough, then people will come.  And I think Ubuntu is good enough to stand on its own legs.

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Saying goodbye to SCS (Safmarine Computer Service)

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Last night we said farewell to SCS on our way to becoming IBM.  What a nostalgic evening, talking about the good times, bad times and more importantly the fun times.  Although I was only with SCS for the last 18 months, SCS started in 1974 so there was a lot of stories to be told.  And believe it but 3 SCSers from that era is still around today.

Thanks to Tertia (our famous writer and celebrity in making) that arranged this memorable evening and also Paul and Richard who will be footing the bill. Oh and thanks for the great gift .. will come in handy looking into the far distance.

It was a great evening enjoyed by everybody — great food, great music and great people.  Now we will wait for the 5th of December to see if IBM can do the same with our Welcome party 🙂

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Home, sweet home

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Change the graphic at the top of the page to my home town.  That is what my workplace look like on a beautiful summers night.  The photo was take from a hill next to my house.

For those that does not recognize it … Table Mountain with Cape Town in the foreground.  And if you still lost … southern tip of Africa.

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Today I become a IBM guinea-pig !!

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They will be loading some IBM software on my work laptop today to allow me to access the IBM internal network while still being connected to my customer (Safmarine) network.  This will be through some VPN connection and I am looking forward to seeing how this will be working.  At last I might have access to all things IBM and internal contact to all the IBMers I allready met via non-IBM means.

That reminds me — first thing I need to do is find out where the Leave system is.  Need to put my leave in for the the Christmas holiday period :).

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Will IBM be an orca or a penguin?

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Now you may be wondering what I have been drinking by asking a question like that … well wonder no more — see this article.

It is a very intriguing question which side IBM is going to take.  Join Microsoft and stay away from legal battles or stand up for freedom and openness.  I genuinely hope the latter.  My view is that MS has no leg to stand on when it comes to Linux infringing MS intellectual property.  All they after is pocketing some money from somebody for nothing … just a lot of FUD from MS.

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New way of getting introduced to IBM-way of doing things

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IBM will be using Virtual Worlds for Global Training according to a article on Serious Games Source.  This must be a lot more fun than just sitting through a presentation or lecture room.

Hope that some of these Virtual World training material will become available when I join IBM in 14 days.

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IBM invests $100million in new ideas

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IBM’s Sam Palmisano announced that $100million will be spend over the next 2 years on new ideas that was generated earlier this year.  Of the 10 that caught my eye was:

“Digital Me”: Creating a secure, user-friendly service that simplifies storage, management and long-term access to the deluge of personal content that people accumulate (digital photos, videos, music, health and financial records, personal identification documents, files, etc.).

3D Internet: Partnering with others to take the best of virtual worlds and gaming environments to build a seamless, standards-based 3D Internet — the next platform for global commerce and day-to-day business operations.

and

Simplified Business Engines: Developing and bringing to market an intuitive, easy-to-use and pre-packaged set of Web 2.0 services and blade server offerings that allow small and mid-size businesses to easily tap applications customized to their own specific business needs.

 
Will keep and eye on these and see how I can get involved in these initiatives.

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Greater IBM

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Just read on the GreaterIBM blog about their visit to Germany.  Quoting

….opportunities for this network to support business goals in key current markets, such as Germany, as well as emerging ones like China, India and Brazil.

I would like to see this also extended to South Africa which is a growing part of the world when looking at IBM.

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Move to IBM now in the final stretch

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ITWeb has a story on our move to IBM … as they say in South Africa — it is now  “min dae” (for my non-Afrikaans friends and readers that mean that we almost there).

On the one side I am a bit sad in leaving SCS behind and some of my coleagues that are staying behind in Safmarine.  On the other hand I am realy existed to become an IBMer with all the opportunities and new things to learn.  It is almost like being born again.  I have already virtually met some great IBMers like Kelly and Andy.

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