IBM says Linux is booming

IBM's Linux business was worth $16 billion last year and the company projects to be worth more than $50 billion.

"Governments worldwide are spending more than US$3 billion a year on Linux hardware, software and services, and this is growing at 35% a year," she says. "But it's the US military that is spending the most. They view it as a source of innovation."

Fisher, a 26-year IBM veteran, was in New Zealand recently to speak at a seminar organised by GOVIS, the organisation for government IT managers.

"Governments are saving taxpayer money by leveraging open standards," she says.

Read more over at ComputerWorld.