The Linux computing crowd smells blood and wants to make a run at Microsoft’s Vista operating system.

Coinciding with LinuxWorld, IBM, Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, Novell and Red Hat issued a joint statement promising “Microsoft free” desktops across the globe.

Read the full story at ZDNet:

I doubt it will put a significant dent in Microsoft’s market share tally, but the dogpile will be interesting to watch. IBM’s Linux gang says it will deliver Lotus Notes and Symphony worldwide by 2009. The goal: Sprinkle the globe with Linux-based desktops in a year.

In a statement touting the partnership, the companies said the time is right to upend Windows and Office-based PCs. Kevin Cavanaugh, vice president for IBM’s Lotus Software unit was a bit more blunt in a statement.