IBM on Tuesday continued its recent buying spree of small software companies, this time acquiring its first open source developer, a small startup with an application server IBM officials believe will serve as a low-end compliment to its WebSphere application server. For an undisclosed sum, IBM has purchased Gluecode Software, a company of 18 employees that sells an open source server called Geronimo, which is based on open source technology from the Apache Geronimo application server. Gluecode has traditionally positioned and sold its software products and subscription support services as lower cost infrastructure to companies needing alternatives to the more traditional commercial software. IBM not only sees Geronimo as the low-end extension of its WebSphere line, but as an opportunity to engage in a new business model that more effectively addresses the market needs of small and medium-size businesses. Read the rest of the article at InfoWorld.
