Lenovo to Sell, Support Linux on ThinkPads

Pengo writes "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.'"

Comments

w00t

[OriginalArlen]

This comment comes from a GNU-powered Lenovo R60, and apart from the quality of the plastic being a teensy bit less satisfying texture (to me at least) and the R40 I had before, which got lovely smooth palm-prints worn in slab in front of the keyboard, it's great - but I wish I could make the wifi work without recompiling the kernel, which admittedly is Intel's fault for not releasing the schematics, but... hey, use another on-board wifi supplier. *shrug*

What would be really fabulous -- and I've been waiting for this day for five years or more,m now - is the day the first mainstream vendor starts selling OpenBSD-powered machines. That will show a genuine commitment to open standards and Freedom. Too many corporates are jumping on the Linux bandwagon thinking they can happily sell black-box software (or hardware) that they write Linux drivers or kernel modules for, and just take the money -- indeed that doesn't look like a bad strategey -- but supporting OpenBSD will reveal an actual interest in Freedom, as opposted to just making as much money as possible. (yes, yes, I know what you're thinking, spare me ok... )