[pinewurst]

My model of the OP (or writer of the piece rather) is that he felt he'd reached safe harbor at Red Hat, especially under his personally difficult circumstances.

Imagine feeling that, then hearing your employer was being acquired by pretty much the antithesis of that culture, on a decline and happy to destroy anyone for a perceived bump in their falling stock price.

It may be different if your perspective is that of a principal from some failed startup IBM bought. They were nice enough as long as the handcuffs lasted, you didn't care about the bogus 401k match, and your large-ish check cleared.