Wind River, a leader in real-time and embedded Linux is up for sale. Sources close to the deal say IBM is the buyer.

It makes sense. Wind River used to be anti-Linux because of its own operating system. More than two years ago it shifted to embrace Linux and started making a profit.

IBM is the biggest supporter of Linux because it provides a rosseta stone type cross-platform development technology plus it allows IBM to profit from its value-add software components while commoditizing the business of rivals. Wind River has followed the same strategy.

Please see SVW, March 2005: How I learned to love Linux and profit from it--Wind River turns from Linux basher to religious zealot

There is a lot of synergy between Wind River and IBM. Here is a simple Google search, the first page: