| By Linux News Desk |
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| June 16, 2004 12:00 AM EDT |
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IBM's GM for Linux, Jim Stallings, a former marine captain, is currently touring India spreading the gospel - among customers, independent software vendors (ISVs) and various governments - about the compelling value proposition of Linux and how it can create jobs for young Indians.
Along with China, South Korea, Russia, and Brazil, India is a rapidly growing market for IBM and Stallings is meeting ministry of IT officials in New Delhi and several other oficials of India's various state governments.
His visit comes exactly a year after the inaugural visit to India by IBM supremo, Sam Palmisano.
IBM has built a strong force of 3,000 Linux-certified practitioners, while around 12,000 people within the company have some kind of Linux exposure. Its Linux-related business has now passed the $2 billion mark. Stallings says there's been traction in systems, software, and services.
"IBM has been committed to Linux for years and supports the 'opening up' of software and services," says R Dhamodaran, Vice-President and Country Executive, IBM Software Group.
As well as working closely in India with 40-odd ISVs who are developing applications in areas of banking, finance, e-governance, retail, and healthcare, IBM has just set up a set up a Linux center of competency (CoC) in Bangalore with two branches in New Delhi and Mumbai - Big Blue now has 20 such CoCs across the globe, in locations such as Austin (Texas-USA), Beijing (China), Boeblingen (Germany), Moscow (Russia) Sao Paolo (Brazil), and Tokyo (Japan).
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