[patton]

Um...IBM started a program known as "shareware" about...I dunno, 50 years ago. The share archives have always been free, to anyone in the US. Then, to anyone in the US, Briton, etc.

They are just granting access to other countries, is all.

They are not giving away hardware...they are granting access to a bunch of legacy code, most of it not written by IBM.

For instance, I wrote some of that code while in HS, and my mother wrote a bunch more of it.

[softwarecreator]

As part of the initiative, the Armonk, New York-based company said that for the first time, developers in Brazil, Russia, India, China—popularly known as BRIC countries—will get instant access to IBM’s hardware and software portfolio from their desktop at no charge.

The company said it will roll out more than 40 virtual workshops that will help developers in distant countries learn and go to market with their applications faster and at a lower cost. The virtual workshops, which developers can access through a web conference from their PCs, will offer mentoring and learning capabilities.

Where does it say that in this article?

[Golden Eagle]

Apparently you didn't read the article. This givaway includes all of IBM's best commercial products that are sold at a premium here in the US:

"WebSphere, its web application server; DB2, its relational management database; IBM Tivoli, its management software product; and Lotus, IBM’s collaboration software"