Soltis Exiting IBM, But He's Not Leaving the '400
by Alex Woodie

This New Year's Eve, three weeks from now, AS/400 fans around the world will raise a glass and say a toast to Frank Soltis, who is set to retire from IBM after an incredible career spanning five decades. And while there will be some mixing of tears and champagne--especially upon the frozen tundra of the Rochester campus--you don't have to say your goodbyes just yet. Soltis aims to remain active in the System i community, as he explains to The Four Hundred in this exclusive one-on-one interview. READ MORE >

A Little More Detail on the Smart Cube and Its Market
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

In last week's issue, I told you that IBM has launched the Smart Cube appliance server and its related Smart Market for distributing systems and application software, in India rather than the United States. There wasn't a lot of detail about the Power and X64 boxes that are being configured as Smart Cube appliances, since IBM is really just doing a test rollout in India now and, very quietly, with selected customers in America to get feedback on how to make it all better before a full rollout in the States later in 2009. READ MORE >

IBM's Academic Initiative Partners with DeVry University
by Dan Burger

With more than 65,000 students enrolled at nearly 100 locations in 26 states and Canada, DeVry University qualifies as one of the largest degree-granting higher education institutions in North America. So, for IBM to get its Academic Initiative program plugged into DeVry, there is reason to celebrate. Beginning in March 2009, students aiming for bachelor's degrees in computer information systems have the option of taking enterprise business computing courses that will incorporate IBM i, AIX, and z/OS coursework. READ MORE >

Mad Dog 21/21: Potlatch Season
by Hesh Wiener

Ask any old Kwakiutl or young Kwakwaka'wakw, as these Native Americans of the Northwest are now called, and you will find that winter was the favored season for a potlatch. A potlatch is a ceremony that includes a variety of rituals, some involving the redistribution of wealth and others the destruction of wealth. It's a bit like what is going on around the world as governments try to keep us warm and loyal during a severe economic winter. It's a bit like what liquidators say is going on in the server business, too. READ MORE >