SOMERS, N.Y., July 20 (UPI) -- IBM is offering free access to its software plus course-development assistance to any interested U.S. college or university.
IBM's offer seeks to ensure computer-science programs will teach students about open-source software such as Linux and Sun Microsystems Corp.'s free J2EE, and Java programming languages as well as IBM's proprietary DB2 database and WebSphere Internet software, the Wall Street Journal said Tuesday.
"We're getting strong signals from schools that they want an alternative to Microsoft," said Buell Duncan, IBM's head of developer relations who oversees the academic program.
Corporate and government customers, as well as IBM, are anxious to ensure a steady supply of young programmers trained to use software other than Microsoft's, he said.
Besides letting professors download software for course use, IBM permits them to use software courses developed by consultants in IBM's services group for training within IBM.
In some cases, schools will be allowed to use IBM hardware over the Internet under a "virtual loaner program."
