It uses the Linux kernel but totally snubs GNU/Linux users. There is also some gpl-violations history, but that’s resolved AFAIK.

WOW…. thats just crazy…. I would not be a stock holder, after hearinf those words.

D.

These things are imaginary properties and the economic slump proved they are risky to rely on.

It makes a nice tune to the investors though.

IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced that it earned 4,186 U.S. patents in 2008, becoming the first company ever to earn more than 4,000 U.S. patents in a single year. IBM’s 2008 patent issuances are nearly triple Hewlett-Packard’s and exceed the issuances of Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Oracle, Apple, EMC, Accenture and Google — combined.

For context, they more than doubled up #4 Microsoft – 4186 to 2030.

Then, they go on to say they’ll increase 50% the number of inventions they publish without seeking patents, in order to really underscore the schizophrenic approach IBM has taken publicly towards patents over the last few years, imo.

IBM, of course sees it slightly differently:

While IBM will continue to seek patents and will protect its intellectual property, its planned increase in publishing inventions will focus on those technology areas that will increase the build out of a new, smarter infrastructure. The evolution of IBM’s policy builds on prior efforts to stimulate innovation by pledging not to assert certain patent rights in the area of open source software, health care, education, the environment, and software interoperability.