Lenovo releases Linux Thinkpads
Singing with SUSE
LENOVO has said that it will release a SUSE Linux version of its ThinkPad range in the middle of January.
The PC vendor has been promising the Linux versions of the machines since before Dr Spinola was born, but for some reason they had not tipped up.
According to Desktop Linux a Linux version will appear on its Intel Centrino-powered ThinkPad T61 and R61 14-inch-wide notebooks.
Lenovo said it will place it on Penryn-based ThinkPads by February.
The spec of the T61 is interesting but the graphics card, an Intel GMA X3100 GM965 on the motherboard, limits it a bit. It will hit the streets for $949 which is only $20 less than the same laptop with Vista on board.
On the whole it is hard to see the point. Desktop Linux points out that it does mean that Lenovo will finally join Dell as one of the first top-tier PC vendors to offer pre-installed Linux desktops to its customers. But if these products are not significantly better or cheaper than Windows versions it is hard to see how in the long term it could be good for Linux. µ
Comments
Less $20 for Vista?
Please tell me linux is cheaper $20 for what edition of vista?Ultimate? Business?
Its easy to see!
I'm surprised you miss the point. I would buy such a machine with Linux preinstalled and happily pay a small price *premium*.The point here is not the price difference, but the fact the consumer can be relatively certain the machine will work with Linux, powermanagement will work, and all components like Wifi, bluetooth, webcam, fingerprint sensor etc will likely have Linux drivers.
That a MAJOR step up compared to my current Nec notebook.
default vista is...
Home Premium.This you can usually assume this as the default vista OS on new machines as it's the lowest version of vista which can run the newfangled aero desktop. It's pretty much the only feature most people will immediately recognize in vista. Only the most bottom end budget machines will have home basic installed.
Support!?
If they are supporting the software, then i can see why you only get a $20 reduction!"Less $20 for Vista?"
Probably they ment that it cheaper than cheapest Vista.Price/availability?
Well this is a GOOD NEWS of the year (TM) candidate. :-) If the price is ANYTHING below machine with xp (Vista is shovel-ware and just doesn't work for me), count me in!As for the hardware specs, I think it's a reasonable choice - I have yet to see a thinkpad with nvidia graphics and as for ATI, the drivers are either broken (fglrx,avivo) or less-than-useful (radeonhd, ati). Obviously, since Compiz runs just fine on GMA with opensource drivers AND you get extra battery time with it, there's hardly any reason to go with ATi (who buys linux to play games? AND on a Thinkpad?). Then again, given its usage share, you could say the same about Linux itself. Hopefully, fglrx gets fixed and Lenovo can ship Thinkpads with dedicated graphics too. ;-)
It's not about price
I'd say Lenovo is targeting the geek community which will buy Windows-free laptops notwithstanding the insignificant price difference.I certainly will.
Bulk Licence aint Retail.
Hey, a reality with Microsoft is that they screw over the public. Big business by in bulk with massive discounts.Take for example the "Microsoft Action Pack" for ZAR2000 ($270) you get 8 - 12 licences each for WIndows, WinServer, Word and a few other business packages.
I've seen up to ZAR100 000 ($13500) worth in retail licences in these packs, but there only for Microsoft partners (anybody with a PC store who will tolerate them).
Bill makes his money off us and not big business - except for support fees.
Welcome in my footsteps Lenovo!
I bought a Lenovo IBM ThinkPad X61s in September, and the first thing I did after testing that it worked (Windows XP preinstalled) was install SuSE Linux Enterprise Desktop.The fingerprint reader doesn't work (or at least I can't log in with it as in Windows). No problem for me. Other than that everything works as far as I can tell (don't need and have not tried the modem, but as they still integrate these relics of the 1980s with every laptop it is there).
Having SuSE Linux officially supported on the ThinkPad series is great news, not only to ThinkPad owners. In the longer run, every Linux user will benefit from it.
I can only second the opinion stated by others, if the columnist can't see the point it must be because he can't think. That used to be an IBM slogan: Think!