54 votes

IBM to acquire software company Red Hat for $34 billion

17 comments

  1. [3]
    joelthelion
    Link
    This could be a major disaster. Red Hat is a major contributor to the linux kernel, and even more to "linux" the desktop and server software suite that people tend to conflate with the kernel. IBM...

    This could be a major disaster. Red Hat is a major contributor to the linux kernel, and even more to "linux" the desktop and server software suite that people tend to conflate with the kernel.

    IBM may not be Oracle, but they're not the nicest players either.

    30 votes
    1. [2]
      alyaza
      Link Parent
      appears to be officially on now, seeing as this just went up.

      appears to be officially on now, seeing as this just went up.

      12 votes
      1. SourceContribute
        Link Parent
        This move makes sense. IBM wants a piece of the cloud and someone on Twitter mentioned they want to retain government contracts. IBM basically just fucked over Oracle and Amazon by buying up Red...

        This move makes sense. IBM wants a piece of the cloud and someone on Twitter mentioned they want to retain government contracts. IBM basically just fucked over Oracle and Amazon by buying up Red Hat. Amazon's Linux distro for their AMIs is Red Hat-based if I remember correctly, and Oracle has been trying to get into the cloud as well. Not to mention Google and Microsoft also run massive Linux data centers.

        Who better to build a hybrid cloud for the government than Red Hat who have decades of experience with Linux and run their own distro and have supported all sorts of setups?

        5 votes
  2. unknown user
    Link
    The HN discussion on this has >1000 upvotes and some interesting comments.

    The HN discussion on this has >1000 upvotes and some interesting comments.

    14 votes
  3. [3]
    unknown user
    (edited )
    Link
    Why did I hear the dramatic “dum-dum-dum!” in my head when reading the headline? Is IBM as bad as Oracle? What were the douchiest things they have done in the last, say, 10 years? The only thing I...

    Why did I hear the dramatic “dum-dum-dum!” in my head when reading the headline?

    Is IBM as bad as Oracle? What were the douchiest things they have done in the last, say, 10 years?

    The only thing I know them from these days is Watson, which is pretty cool I guess.

    5 votes
    1. [2]
      joelthelion
      Link Parent
      Watson is mostly a marketing effort. Pretty much everything else they do sucks.

      Watson is mostly a marketing effort. Pretty much everything else they do sucks.

      11 votes
      1. SourceContribute
        Link Parent
        I thought the policy for IBM was to leave their cash cows alone, and the only moves they make are to acquire or to sell them off?

        I thought the policy for IBM was to leave their cash cows alone, and the only moves they make are to acquire or to sell them off?

        2 votes
  4. Silbern
    Link
    Dammmmmmn. Holy shit. I did not see this coming, I thought Red Hat was doing well for itself. I know IBM has changed a lot, but this still really worries me. I really, really hope this isn't a...

    Dammmmmmn. Holy shit. I did not see this coming, I thought Red Hat was doing well for itself. I know IBM has changed a lot, but this still really worries me. I really, really hope this isn't a repeat of Oracle and Sun.

    5 votes
  5. dblohm7
    Link
    This is not going to end well for either party.

    This is not going to end well for either party.

    3 votes
  6. [8]
    Eva
    Link
    RIP. IBM needs to stop wasting money on bad purchases.

    RIP.

    IBM needs to stop wasting money on bad purchases.

    1. [8]
      Comment deleted by author
      Link Parent
      1. [7]
        Eva
        Link Parent
        It was just a joke about Red Hat sucking. They're pretty profitable, and I respect the sale, but fuuuuuuuuuck I hate everything Red Hat is responsible for. Every single bad thing on Linux right...

        It was just a joke about Red Hat sucking.

        They're pretty profitable, and I respect the sale, but fuuuuuuuuuck I hate everything Red Hat is responsible for. Every single bad thing on Linux right now can be traced directly to Red Hat.

        1. [5]
          Comment deleted by author
          Link Parent
          1. [4]
            Eva
            Link Parent
            I was including PulseAudio and NetworkManager.

            I was including PulseAudio and NetworkManager.

            1. [3]
              Jedi
              Link Parent
              What's wrong with them?

              What's wrong with them?

              9 votes
              1. [2]
                Eva
                Link Parent
                Ever used them?

                Ever used them?

                1. joelthelion
                  Link Parent
                  Yes. Daily for years. Almost no problems.

                  Yes. Daily for years. Almost no problems.

                  11 votes
        2. [2]
          super_james
          Link Parent
          Ha after reading your comment I was thinking "Oh did they make Systemd?". I don't even find systemd that bad but it sure is a meme.

          Ha after reading your comment I was thinking "Oh did they make Systemd?".

          I don't even find systemd that bad but it sure is a meme.

          2 votes
          1. Eva
            Link Parent
            ~I actually love it for casual use, but forget about it on servers.~ It's one of the only things that every human being hates and I love that.

            ~I actually love it for casual use, but forget about it on servers.~

            It's one of the only things that every human being hates and I love that.