IBM Global Services has hired Linuxcare Inc to provide technical support to customers who are running Linux. Based in San Francisco, Linuxcare grew out of the Bay Area’s many Linux user groups, and is on track for an IPO. Under the agreement, the most challenging Linux support issues encountered by IBM’s team will be handed off to Linuxcare, which promises to isolate and resolve any defects in the Linux source code and to address other complicated technical issues. So far, so similar to Red Hat Inc’s relationship with Compaq Computer Corp (CI No 3,771). All Linux distributions are included in Linuxcare-IBM deal, but the particular focus will be on those distributions where Big Blue doesn’t already have an agreement in place with the vendor. Even so, as Red Hat seeks to ramp up its support organization to justify its enormous market capitalization, it’s likely to find itself competing with companies like Linuxcare in more and more accounts.
