Dana Blankenhorn has added a new dimension to the IBM-Zend partnership with a new post on his blog that reads, "Zend Core is based on Cloudscape. That's the name of the server IBM has created for its old DB2 database format. Thus, IBM's old mainframe tools are entering the computing mainstream through open source. With Linux IBM has one tool that will combine all its old mainframe, minicomputer, PC, client, and server stuff into one environment, so the wisdom of 50 years need not be lost." He also points to IBM's technical roadmap that will lead to an open source Zend Core in the second half of the year.

It's an interesting perspective on the whole partnership - bringing "old mainframe tools are entering the computing mainstream through open source". With all of the backing that IBM can provide and the years of computing history/knowledge/experience/etc they bring to the table, it makes the partnership seem all the more sweet.

Thanks to PHP Magazine for the link...