NYT (reg. req.): "IBM plans to announce today that it is making 500 of its software patents freely available to anyone working on open-source projects, like the popular Linux operating system, on which programmers collaborate and share code...IBM executives say the company's new approach to intellectual property represents more than a rethinking of where the company's self-interest lies. In recent speeches, for example, Samuel J. Palmisano, IBM's chief executive, has emphasized the need for more open technology standards and collaboration as a way to stimulate economic growth and job creation."