IBM is selling its computer business to a manufacturing group in China.  In the story from c|net, it is clear that one of the implications of moving computer manufacturing to a company in China is that there may be less influence by Microsoft.

After all, goes the reasoning, China has been very independent in adopting Linux for small systems and IBM, after all, is a substantial supporter of UNIX clones.  Could it be that the sale of IBM's PC manufacturing business to a Chinese concern is the jump start that makes Microsoft a little less influential in the desktop operating system business.

To be honest I can't quite tell if that will be true.  If the market is redirected to developing countries and if China's notorious approach to intellectual property continues it may lead to some substantial changes.  After all, the new company will be the third largest manufacturer of PCs.  On the other hand, Microsoft has already entered the Chinese marketplace and the company's most serious efforts at new research seem to be taking place in the new commercial centers of China.  It will be interesting to see if the sale has any impact at all -- maybe next holiday season more than my iPod will have the words "Made in China" on it!