IBM has been on a buying spree for years, mostly driven by Steven Mills from their software group. They are actually very smart about it; they acquire most comp

IBM has been on a buying spree for years, mostly driven by Steven Mills from their software group. They are actually very smart about it; they acquire most companies early on when they are still comparatively cheap. They usually buy them not because they need to for competitive pressure but to shape or build out future offerings, avoiding having to pay a premium later on.