IBM launches open source offensive

IBM today stepped up its open source efforts with the contribution of more than 30 projects to SourceForge.net.

More than 30 IBM software projects will by hosted by SourceForge.net, part of the OSTG Network, to give developers broader access to open source technologies.

As a result, more developers can collaborate and build on technologies spanning Java, Linux and wireless, fuelling more innovation to drive next-generation software applications.

The projects to be hosted by SourceForge.net, which boasts more than one million registered users and 96,000 projects, include IBM's Jikes software, a fast Java compiler that helps developers speed their development time.

IBM will also transfer its Life Science Identifier to the collaborative development site, which helps developers in healthcare build life sciences applications by automatically scanning networks for biologically significant data.

Big Blue is also extending support for developers building web applications using the PHP open source development language.

Through a new business partnership and new skill-building resources, IBM promised to help developers use PHP as part of their web services and services oriented architectures.

The final strand of the open source push centres on expanding IBM's DeveloperWorks community website.

"The momentum of open source and its adoption by governments and businesses worldwide points to the increasingly critical role of the software developer within business," said Gina Poole, vice president of developer relations at IBM.