IBM invests $200m in Euro Linux centres

IBM is expanding its European Linux with a $200m investment injection, the company announced Friday.

The investment boost will see IBM increasing its overall involvement with the open source operating system through new European Linux development centres.

Development centres will be built in Greenock and Hursley in the United Kingdom as well as five other locations in France, Germany, Poland and Hungary.

These centres will offer specialist support for IT professionals using Linux at the enterprise level.

According to IBM this growth in investment reflects the growing demand for Linux in Europe. "As customers and partners recognise the growing importance of Linux as a key e-business operating system," said Mike Lawrie, general manager of IBM Europe, in a statement, "there is tremendous demand for Linux-ready applications."

IBM has been steadily upping its backing for Linux in recent months allying with various Linux companies and offering support across all its platforms.

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