The maker of expensive printer ink, HP, has signed up to the Linux Foundation's top table. By writing a cheque for $500,000, Hewlett Packard has just become a platinum member of the body and will sit next to Intel, Qualcomm and Samsung.

HP gets a seat on the Foundation's board of directors and will have a say in how to advance the foundation's aims. Word on the street is that Open webOS might get a push too.

Jim Zemlin, executive director at The Linux Foundationsaid that HP has a history of innovation and market success. Because of this history and innate knowledge of software development, HP understands that Linux and collaborative development can benefit its business across its product portfolio. We're looking forward to the work we can accomplish with HP, he said.

HP's Eileen Evans, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, Cloud Computing and Open Source, aid that deal means that HP will have a variety of ways to maximize its investment in Linux and collaborative development that advances our own business as well as greater industry innovation.