Meantime the effective replacement of Systems Application Architecture – which addressed the software front end – with the new Workplace strategy, which addresses the back end by building on a common kernel for the likes of OS/400, AIX and OS/2 – is causing big upheavals in IBM Corp’s software development operations. According to the New York Times, IBM has appointed Peter Schneider IBM vice-president in charge of co-ordinating the development of the Workplace client-server software strategy and for making sure it is implemented in the software in all divisions. A key aim is to reduce the estimated $1,000m a year IBM spends in developing its various lines of operating software. The use of a common kernel in future releases of OS/400, AIX and OS/2 will make it a little easier to implement the operating systems for new chip architectures – ironically something rather less vital for IBM now that it is standardising on the PowerPC RISC.
