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Welcome To The Lab: IBM unveils Internet secrets

IBM has taken to the ways of openness with the fervour of a new convert. Its brand-new alphaWorks site contains information on all sorts of projects currently being developed, going all the way from launch-ready to severely pre-beta.
Written by Rupert Goodwins, Contributor

IBM has taken to the ways of openness with the fervour of a new convert. Its brand-new alphaWorks site contains information on all sorts of projects currently being developed, going all the way from launch-ready to severely pre-beta. Some 40 technologies are available for inspection, with links to the researchers and scientists developing them, downloadable demos and copious chances for feedback from readers.

At the moment, there are plug-ins, scripting tools, infrastructure management software, additional code for server-side utilities, databases and directory management tools, with plans for a bulletin board and discussion area. In particular, visitors to the site can examine Bamba, IBM's audio and video streaming technology; the PanoramIX 3D environment creator, and the ADK development system for Java.

The site also functions as an advert for Lotus Notes and Domino, the technology that allows Notes to function as an Internet applications server: the whole site runs on IBM hardware and software, with copious information about how it's done.

PCDN comment: IBM's commitment to openness speaks volumes about the company's confidence in its workers -- always that company's best assets -- and its new products. It's also indicative of the excitement and dedication that many IBM engineers are feeling now that they've been let out of the box and allowed -- encouraged, in fact -- to strut their stuff. A very heartening move in an industry so clogged with the bovine.

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