
THIS VERSION: RE_WRITTEN 7th April 2011
IBM acquired SPSS in the peak of the summer of 2009; I was in Provence. (IBM SPSS PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT) That deal was largely credited as a trigger for the SAP consideration of acquiring TIBCO and the on-consequent of TIBCO's acquisition of (the very wonderful) Data Synapse!
Dont forget that IBM had acquired COGNOS for FIVE BILLION DOLLARS (all cash) at the end of '07 in the parallel universe BI consolidation herd-instinct rush of that winter which (arguably) was topped in the 3D chess-move response by SAP when it acquired Business Objects for AN ALMOST IDENTICAL AMOUNT in the same period.