Lenovo To Sell Linux Laptops

[dsio]

From Slashdot:

http://linux.slashdot.org/linux/07/08/06/1825237.shtml

"Lenovo has announced that they will begin selling T-series ThinkPads with SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 pre-installed beginning sometime during the fourth quarter. In addition to supplying the hardware support, Lenovo will also handle OS support for ThinkPad customers, with Novell providing software updates. 'Unlike Dell, which has targeted its Linux offering primarily at the enthusiast community, Lenovo's SLED laptops are targeted at the enterprise. Whether they are running Ubuntu, SLED, or some other distribution, the availability of Linux pre-installation from mainstream vendors increases the visibility of the operating system and gives component makers an incentive to provide better Linux drivers and hardware support. If Lenovo is willing to collaborate with the Linux development community to improve the Linux laptop user experience, it will be a big win for all Linux users, not just the ones who buy laptops from Lenovo.'"



I mentioned ages ago that one of the big pluses of Dell officially selling linux on its computers is that it would force others to come to the table as well. Now Lenovo is joining in with their Thinkpad laptops, for business/enterprise customers rather than for home users.

For as long as I can remember now, Lenovo has been one of the favourites among IT and engineering professionals due to their reliability, build quality, and solid feature set. As such, they are in the right market to make enterprise linux laptops a financially successful venture.

It will mean better support. And that, is really something we've been after from hardware manufacturers, so I tip my hat to them.

[Aedan]

This isn't news, despite what many news sites are claiming. After all, Lenovo had announced that they were going to install SUSE on ThinkPads about a year ago (August 2006): Lenovo to Load Linux on ThinkPad Laptop or see Slashdot's comment Slashdot.

Or you could look at the T20 (2647-L1U) which came preinstalled with Linux.

Originally Posted by IBM

Product: ThinkPad T20 2647-L1U
Original description: PIII 750MHz (256KB), 128MB RAM, 20.0GB HDD, 14.1 XGA(1024x768) TFT LCD, 24X-10X CD-ROM, Modem, US English Linux

[dsio]

*hides under table*

Did they actually do it in 2006? or were they just talking about it?

[Aedan]

They said that they were going to do it. OTOH, how long ago was the T20 though? It came onto the market in Jun 2000!

It always amazes me how short people's memories are.

[Aedan]

Just double checked - the T20 came with Caldera OpenLinux eDesktop 2.4. That is somewhat ironic, given that by 2002, Caldera had changed their name to be The SCO Group.

[dsio]

OK, reading it back it looks like its that they announced the T60p would have it in 2006, and now they are announcing that the whole T series will have it.