IBM is opening up its collaborative development platform, known as Jazz, to the community at large, the company announced Jan. 14, allowing any interested party to collaborate and contribute to software under development at www.jazz.net. In addition, IBM also is rolling out a new beta release of a key product based on its Jazz technology, as well as a research project to create a virtual world for Jazz developers.
Up to now, Jazz.net has been available only to IBM customers and partners and academic institutions, but IBM expects to boost participation and innovation based on the project.
“2008 is going to be the year Jazz becomes a real thing,” said Scott Hebner, vice president of marketing and strategy at IBM Software Group’s Rational division. “We’re looking to develop the Jazz technology and our products in a much more transparent fashion. “As we deliver new products in the future, they will be based on Jazz” and developed via IBM’s open, commercial strategy.
