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Cloud computing is the new buzz term for offering services over the internet and is being pushed heavily by companies such as Google, Microsoft, Dell, Amazon and HP.

At the centre of IBM's cloud-computing drive is "Bluehouse", a set of social networking and collaboration tools for businesses. IBM claims the software has been in closed beta since early this year.

The company is also

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offering conferencing software dubbed Sametime Unyte, as well as security and policy compliance tools.

The network will be made available to independent software companies, which will be able to deliver their own web-based services to IBM customers.

IBM intends on dedicating 200 researchers and investing $100 million over the next three years on its cloud-computing efforts, which have already seen the company roll out four new data centres worldwide, bringing the total number to 13. Among these is a $360 million center in Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, unveiled in July.

However, not everyone is enamoured by cloud computing. Free software guru Richard Stallman recently decried the drive towards cloud computing as "worse than stupidity" while Oracle chief executive Larry Ellison described it as "gibberish".