 |
 |
|
Extreme Blue History
e-business is booming. In the past few years, e-business technologies have become integral to core business functions that previously demanded little technology expertise at all --- from finance, to human resources, to marketing. In response, universities are producing a growing number of cross-functional students trained in computer science, engineering, business, and entrepreneurship. These talented individuals will drive the next generations of e-business.
Two years ago, IBM started an internship program in Cambridge, Massachusetts called Extreme Blue to attract these young entrepreneurs. Since then the program has grown. This year, Extreme Blue labs will operate in three North America locations, including Silicon Valley and Austin, TX, and in four of IBMs European research labs (Israel, Switzerland, Germany, and England).
This program is designed specifically for these skilled technical and MBA students who have a passion for Internet technologies, and an entrepreneurial attitude. Each summer these students work on diverse and challenging projects strategic to IBMs businesses. Projects are sponsored by teams across IBMs product development, research, and services organizations. Each of these projects has the potential to turn leading-edge technologies into new business opportunities. Increasingly, as interest and importance in the Linux environment has grown, these projects have involved Linux.
Extreme Blue fosters dynamic, cross-functional teams working together in an entrepreneurial environment. The students have access to a wealth of resources and technical expertise from IBM. Leslie Givens, Extreme Blue Program Director, states that "Extreme Blue truly strives to be IBMs incubator for talent and technology. We work to create a high performance team environment where the students work to reach ambitious milestones. At the end of the summer, the goal is for the students to come away having surpassed their expectations of what they believed they were capable."
|
|
|
Cool Linux Projects
Extreme Blue interns do not spend the summer running to the copier or fetching coffee; rather they work on critical software projects that will have a significant
impact on IBM businesses and, potentially, the industry. Last year, for example, Extreme Blue achieved several significant project successes in the Linux space.
Extreme Blue teams worked on the SASH for Linux framework, which IBM later released as open-source code for Linux on the www.gnome.org website. SASH
Weblications enable developers to write software applications on Linux. The technology is available for free download today on www.alphaWorks.ibm.com. This
technology will enable the developer community to build and create more applications for Linux desktops.
When asked about the Extreme Blue experience last year, A. J. Shankar, a Harvard senior and Extreme Blue participant commented to The Boston Globe that "This is like another class,"
said Shankar, "except it's cool." We agree.
The Linux Distributed Systems project is another Linux-related project developed by Extreme Blue talent. Students worked to make it easier to build and manage
groups of Linux machines. Their goal was to offer a free Linux install service over the open Internet. This Linux Utility for cluster Install (LUI) code was picked up by
Workspace on Demand product line. IBM also open-sourced the code.
|
|
|
Win-Win
In response to customer demand, the growing importance of a stable standards base, and the outcry from the development community, IBM has made a full-fledged
commitment to Linux. As proof, we are Linux-enabling our server platforms, storage platforms, software, and middleware. During his keynote at LinuxWorld NY,
Sam Palmisano, IBM President and Chief Operating Officer, stated that, with regard to IBM's support of Linux technology, "the difference is now we are leaping
across this chasm from this scientific and academic world into the commercial world." That is what Extreme Blue is all about. It is giving students the opportunity to
turn leading-edge technologies into new ventures.
Extreme Blue interns are part of the Linux revolution. Last year, the program and its students received outstanding press coverage in Business Week, Wired, USA
Today, The Boston Globe, and CNN, to name a few. Participation in the Extreme Blue program gave these interns the opportunity to be at the forefront of
technology innovation, work with dynamic peers, and be mentored by some of the finest technologists in the industry. In turn, the IBM gained significant contributions
to its core businesses from this talented group of students. Any way you look at it, Extreme Blue is a win-win situation for all involved.
Extreme Blue offers technical and business students the ultimate summer internship experience with opportunities to learn, grow and have a lot of fun!
|
|
|
|
|
