Intelligent Enterprise

IBM has announced alphaWorks Services, which allow businesses to access the emerging technologies under development by IBM researchers.

Big Blue announced the services this week, stating that they would help speed responsiveness and delivery of software to the marketplace.

One of the first technologies available on alphaWorks Services is a tool that allows people to use a Web browser for powerful applications without having to understand programming details. As users develop applications, they can access IBM resources, ask questions and request feedback.

The announcement marked the 10th anniversary of alphaWorks, which gives free downloads and a view into IBM's research and development labs. IBM boasts that alphaWorks has delivered nearly 700 technologies to the marketplace, turned 47 technologies into stand-alone products and incorporated 129 technologies into existing IBM products. In 2005, 93 of the Fortune 100 companies, downloaded technologies from alphaWorks, according to IBM. Big Blue has donated more than 30 alphaWorks technologies to open source since its first open source license was published on alphaWorks in 1998.

The first technologies offered as a service are an Ad Hoc Development and Integration tool for End Users (ADIEU) and Web Relational Blocks (WebRB), a visual tool that allows consumers and developers to build enterprise Web applications through a simple browser interface. They begin by dragging and dropping components. Another is Deep Thunder, local, high-resolution weather predictions.