[Update] debunked ... (was IBM layoffs to hit 25% or so of the company)

[Update] As I had wondered, and other suggested to me, this number (25%) was likely a click bait fabrication. Forbes and others also “fell for it.” I’ll admit I did as well. It was too large to ignore, but it also didn’t make sense. Close down mainframe and storage? Seriously? Lets call this what it is, an internet rumor that was busted. Paraphrasing Mark Twain “An internet rumor can travel around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes”. My apologies to IBM for repeating the rumor. === old and busted below ===

As reported on a number of sites including IT World. Yeow. Storage and Mainframes to be hit hard according to the article. They note that the shift to the cloud has decimated the service contract business, which IBM had been shifting to. Obviously its all speculation until something actually happens. Hoping that this is a bad rumor (and if its wrong, feel free to tell me, I’d be happy to amplify that), but fearing that its not (I’ve heard/read about it from multiple online sources). This reminds me of one of the layoffs at SGI. I forgot where we were … San Diego for an ACS meeting maybe? Word came down from on high, and it impacted a number of people there, including the people responsible for the booth. There was blood on the floor then, and it was horrible (survival guilt sucks, but not as bad as being told to leave your stuff with the local manager and fly back right away).