IBM, Cybersource Open Online Software Objects Shop

In a bid to make software development easier, faster, and cheaper, IBM will team up with CyberSource Corporation to offer a reusable software component shop. This software object service will allow developers to buy pieces of code that they can then incorporate into their own applications.

For years, the so-called object-oriented-software revolution has been the talk--but not much more--of the software industry. Quick, efficient software development, particularly in corporate settings, has been stymied by a dearth of reliable outlets for buying individual components.

By buying software components online, a developer could, for example, buy a spelling checker component, an email engine, or a document-conversion utility instead of creating one in-house. The object shop will be open to all developers wishing to buy or sell components. Developers wishing to list objects will pay $99 per component to advertise on the service.