Linux learnings of IBM for make benefit glorious nation of Kazakhstan

Filed in archive Events on September 26, 2009

I'm sure it is a fine place with many intelligent, steppe-dwelling geeks, but news that IBM plans to open a "Linux Innovation Center" in Kazakhstan is just ripe for Borat jokes.

This is not the first of these centers that the company has opened and the basic goal seems laudable, at least from the IBM/OSS perspective: get a foot in the door in emerging markets long before Microsoft shows up in force, and introduce the benefits of Linux in-depth to both people and governments in the region. Indeed, the Kazakhstan center opens as part of a collaboration deal IBM has inked with the government of the country.

The press release makes no bones about the goals for the center.

The Center will help promote open standards that allow a variety of technologies to share information. Such interoperability will help deliver better goods, services and intelligent data. Open standards such as HTML, for Web and information structure; SOAP for Web services and SOA; and Open Document Format for office documents give businesses choice rather than limit themselves to closed, proprietary systems.

"Closed, proprietary systems!?!" Who uses those old things anymore, anyway? Surely all of these open standards will make great benefit glorious nation of Kazakhstan... and if not, IBM will be execute!