I was reading desktoplinux.com and found this interesting article:
Lenovo, which years ago purchased IBMs personal computer business, appears to have quietly stopped offering Linux as a pre-installation option. None of the company’s 49 ThinkPad and IdeaPad notebook models — nor its many ThinkCenter and IdeaCenter desktops — can currently be ordered with Linux.
Lenovo does offer four high-end ThinkStation workstation models without any commercial operating system software, but all of its other systems now carry the “Microsoft Tax,” it appears. That is, in order to purchase one of the systems, you have to pay for a Microsoft Windows operating system license.
Lenovo’s executive director of external communications, Ray Gorman, denied in vague terms that the current situation marks a strategic shift, though he did admit the company is “refining its Linux strategy.” He added, “Lenovo is not abandoning its commitment to choice of operating system, and actually is increasing the role of the Linux operating system in Lenovo’s product portfolio.”
All evidence to the contrary.
Gorman continued, “In 2008, Lenovo offered preloaded Novell SLED 10 Linux on some of its ThinkPad notebooks, targeting business users. We are now seeing greater demand for Linux from consumers and those in education, and are bringing Linux preloaded on soon-to-be announced Lenovo netbooks targeted to education.”
Actually, Lenovo already announced its Linux-based S9 netbook models, when it launched its netbook line about a month ago. However, the company provided pricing and availability information only for the Windows XP-based “S10” model, saying that the Linux-based “S9” model would be limited to overseas education markets.
In other words, if the government of some large country wants to order a few hundred thousand of them, they’ll build some, and not before.
Anyway, interesting news, wanted to share it with you. Very tired, off to bed. Peace out…