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Lenovo preloads SUSE on ThinkPad

desktoplinux.com — The holy grail of the Linux desktop has finally happened! Lenovo Group, the company that acquired IBM's ThinkPad line, is going to preload SUSE Linux on its ThinkPad T60p mobile workstation.

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deviceguru 1 year 336 days ago, made popular 1 year 336 days ago

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Tsuroerusu, on 10/12/2007, -5/+23AWESOME! Now I'm certainly gonna buy a ThinkPad! :D
- killerofkiller, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I wounder if they will add thinkvantage support for Linux.. i would love to still use the active hdd protection, fingerprint management and all the other stuff
- Splizxer, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1@Tsuroerusu
  
  Yea, because it's impossible to install linux on a laptop that has had windows installed...
- muyuu, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3@Splizxer
  
  It is a very big deal to know that your laptop is going to be properly supported on the hardware side. Installing Linux yourself is all nice and dandy and it's what I always do, but sometimes you get a hardware configuration that is not 100% supported. By sometimes I mean most of the time.
  
  Proper power management (like coming from hibernation/sleep reliably), proper video acceleration and wireless support are NOT to be taken for granted just yet, I'm afraid. All this with good stability is a must for whoever uses his laptop for serious work.
- kwanbis, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@killerofkiller:
  "The system is also expected to come with what Lenovo is calling a "ThinkPad Experience" under Linux, which includes: Access Connections, Configuration Utility, Power Manager, warm and cold docking support for USB and video, and Help Center support."
macemoneta, on 10/12/2007, -24/+8When I go to their web site for this unit, I don't see Linux, I see:

Lenovo recommends Windows® XP Professional.

I'll take my business to those that are willing to commit, not straddle the fence.
- Tsuroerusu, on 10/12/2007, -2/+14Read the article on eWeek (Linked from the DesktopLinux article):
  
  "The PC maker, at the LinuxWorld Conference and Expo beginning Aug. 14 , will announce a plan to pre-load Novell's SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 on one of its ThinkPad notebooks, sources familiar with the two company's plans said."
- OmegaNine, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4I have to agree, i have heard this from so many companies at one point or another, and so few actually do what they say.
- lordthor, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7I saw the same thing, and didn't even see an option in customizing the unit to add Linux instead of MSW.
  
  Anyone know how we can see it?
  
  EDIT: Oh, I see, they PLAN to. My bad.
- nofxjunkee, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4In any case "The holy grail of the Linux desktop has finally happened!" ... holy grail? please, I love linux, but spare us this kind of BS.
- macemoneta, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Plans are great, but the press is hitting the fan *today*. Today is when everyone is going to the site and seeing no sign of Linux, shrugging, and going to another vendor. Do you think that they will come back in two weeks to see if anything changed?
Waterrat, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6 Will wonders never cease!
Great news.
rph2go, on 10/12/2007, -1/+13Is this the first domino to fall? Hope Dell, HP, and Acer are listening.
- theblooms, on 10/12/2007, -1/+26Doesn't matter what the other companies do, because there are only two kinds of laptops in the world: ThinkPads, and everything else.
  
  Once you go black...
- r2d7, on 10/12/2007, -8/+1When did HP and Toshiba stop counting?
  
  ..
  (and of Dell bleh)
- sjalloul, on 10/12/2007, -0/+12@ theblooms
  "ThinkPads, and everything else."
  
  Well said!
jrsims, on 10/12/2007, -2/+11
Whoop! Too slow Dell!
- jgeorgeson, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Dell sold Latitude's with RH (I think 5.0) pre-installed in the late 90's into at least 2002. They stopped because there wasn't enough customer interest (nobody bought them).
Phocion55, on 10/12/2007, -3/+7This is great stuff! Now we just need more vendors doing this, but good start. SuSE is a fairly solid distro.

Too bad this article title doesn't have the word "Ubuntu" in it though....I doubt it will make the first page.
- dharm, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4i thought so too... but great news for linux is great news for linux, regardless of distro... and its on the front page. ^^
- Invader02, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4"Too bad this article title doesn't have the word "Ubuntu" in it though....I doubt it will make the first page."
  
  Already did :P
skubiszm, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I thought just a month ago I read an article on digg saying that Lenovo would drop all linux support, even drivers. I guess I can't believe everything I read on digg.
- ardellin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5actually they did say that, or at least this article alludes to it.
- Tsuroerusu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6They did say that, but like Novell did with the support for the KDE desktop in SUSE Linux last November, Lenovo did a 180 on their Linux support and apparantly are back supporting it more than ever, which is a wonderful thing.
- GMorgan, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0You forget. In Communist China the government chooses you. I imagine the government had more than a small part to play in Lenovo going 180. Then again there was such an outpouring from Linux users who had previously bought Thinkpads for their Linux compatibility that maybe they were worried about loss of sales. I know a lot of corperations were annoyed when they announced their laptops would go unsupported. Might have been purely economical.
Mrkamikaze, on 10/12/2007, -8/+3Well if they have the money to field support questions from joe average user or Geek Squad tech that are clueless when it comes to Unix like OS'es then more power to them.
- bieber, on 10/12/2007, -3/+12Have you ever _used_ a *nix OS? As a user, I could _easily_ get myself into a hell of a lot more trouble with Windows than with anything else.
- GMorgan, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I disagree. Linux/Unix allows the user to be stupid because stopping them would also stop them being clever. It's like market regulation, the most interesting things will always happen where taking risks and being stupid is possible. All markets where you can only follow the one true way tend to stagnate and this is why Unix people don't see uniformity as a benefit from their perspective. All clever things were once stupid things that the clever said were madness so forcing people down a 'one true path' only kills innovation.
  
  Anyway it is certainly possible to botch a Linux system up easier than Windows but with practice it is possible to make a Linux system nearly bulletproof and the experienced rarely make mistakes. Windows on the other hand is always at risk, its security setup is based around sticking plasters and exploits come out far quicker than they can be patched or enter the AV's definitions file and unlike Linux its nearly impossible to protect your system against unpatched exploits bar shutting your web connection down.
  
  You can't chroot or run with minimal privledges.
- fatdog789, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2"Windows on the other hand is always at risk, its security setup is based around sticking plasters and exploits come out far quicker than they can be patched or enter the AV's definitions file and unlike Linux its nearly impossible to protect your system against unpatched exploits bar shutting your web connection down."
  
  I've been running Windows on several different computers on several different networks for years without any problems. No need to patch, no need to update AV files, don't even need individual firewalls. Still no spyware, no viruses, and no problems.
  
  Stop spreading FUD. Windows is just as easy to protect as Linux is unless you are a retarded moron, in which case you have no business working in the IT industry.
- GMorgan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I assume those computers were always turned off. Yes you can avoid viruses by blocking users install priviledges but spyware is a natural result of using the web in Windows. Unless of course you've blocked people from using the web as well.
  
  If those were your solutions then you've protected Windows by crippling it. Of course I wouldn't allow any old idiot to install programs but blocking web access is something else.
  
  Also if you haven't patched Windows at any point then you have no business in the IT industry. Updates are crucial even in more secure OSes.
- Mrkamikaze, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@beiber
  I have been using Linux professionally and privately for a decade now. I am familiar with HP-UX, AIX, Solaris, most of the BSD’s I have helped administrate large (40 server+) HP-UX Unix environments for AT&T Broadband (Comcast now) Previously was a NT Administrator of a 100+ windows environment on of two senior SA’s for the entire Windows investment company wide, a 20 server Solaris environment at BEA, Solaris and HP-UX at ICG Communications and currently help Admin a 200+ Global Windows Environment coupled with a handful of AIX Servers for one of the largest Swedish medical companies. I am considered a Senior UNIX Systems Administrator and a Senior Windows Administrator.
  
  So yeah I have used a Unix OS before maybe not an Ub3r 733t Ubuntu install like yours though. The difference is I don’t regurgitate all the Linux Zealotry like you and many others here do..i know better.
drakonite, on 10/12/2007, -6/+2Shame the Thinkpads have dropped in quality so much since Lenovo has completely taken over the line. If they were the same quality as before there would be absolutely no contest at all anymore...

It's perhaps a bit sad that even with the cheaped out quality, Thinkpads still seem the best choice...
- GMorgan, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2Macbook pros seem to be where its at though there are some nice UltraSPARC laptops out there. Thinkpads are still decent enough though, I can't understand why IBM sold the line off. They may not have been extremely profitable but the boon to their reputation would have been worth making a loss on them.
  
  If Linux admins start telling their bosses to get Thinkpads in then their boss is naturally going to consider IBM more when it comes to other markets.
- tarzan99, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3have you ever used one of those parc laptops? I ask mainly out of curiosoty since my only brush with sparc was on a 500mhz sunblade in school. Even for things like surfing the web it felt painfully slow.
- gildude, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I don't see any difference in quality between my IBM T40, my IBM T43, and my Lenovo T60p. What difference are you seeing in quality since Lenovo took over? We've got quite a few folks with the T60, T60p, and X60s with no issues.
- GMorgan, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0Could have been anything including poor optimisation. I've used UltraSPARCs because a friend has a few of them. They are high powered things you just need to set them up right. What you've got to remember is most code is naturally optimised for 386 so you just need to do a little extra work to get it right. I already optimise for K7 so its no extra work for me.
  
  Anyway most tests put them well ahead of x86's its just they aren't the standard and they are generally priced out of the range of the general public.
  
  What OS was it running by the way. Likely it was setup with the original OS (probably Solaris) and would have had optimised it for throughput rather than access speed making it more suited to server work. Its a problem that can be solved with a kernel recompile quickly enough if you know what your doing.
- tarzan99, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1They were all running Solaris 10 with 512 meg ram and a whopping 40 gigs of harddrive space.
- GMorgan, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2What do you expect then. Run a x86 machine with those sort of stats and you'll get worse results. An UltraSPARC is a processor and a good one at that, memory and HDD space is something else. Not to mention that a good x86 will probably match an Ultra from that era anyway, the newer ones are naturally faster. If your going to take that model then you'd best compare to something like a Pentium 800Mhz with 256MB of RAM since that is the same era. (not to mention running Solaris 10).
  
  This is more what I was thinking
  
  http://www.sun.com/desktop/workstation/ultra3/index.xml
  
  Also, like I said, Solaris is a Server OS. As standard it will use no forced kernel preemeption so will naturally give high latencies for the desktop. On the other hand a recompile of the kernel would allow you to set up a fully preemptible kernel which would be needed on a workstation and would improve access speed for applications greatly. Of course I'm talking about running Linux on one as opposed to Solaris but the same rules apply, run Linux without forced kernel preemption and it will be slow browsing the web as well.
  
  Anyway I assume the people modding me down either:
  1. Don't realise that Clock speed != Power (in any way shape or form, it doesn't even hold for x86's anymore)
  2. Don't understand kernel preemption, throughput and latency so are confused by the whole argument
  3. Are afraid of a compiler
  4. Still haven't realised that computers are modular and that putting a good chip next to a ***** piece of RAM will get you a ***** computer
  5. Haven't realised that the x86 is an anachronism with severe limitations due to backwards compatibility.
  6. Haven't realise that hardware improves irrespective so comparing older hardware to newer is not a good test of whos architecture is superior.
  
  Or a combination of all 6 and others.
mingistech, on 10/12/2007, -5/+4"The holy grail of the Linux desktop has finally happened!"

um.... the ThinkPad is a notebook, not desktop.
- gregmo, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4youre right. I dont accept this major step forward for linux.
- BillyEveryteen, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Agreed. Most laptops are smaller than desktops.
- thedreampolice, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6"um.... the ThinkPad is a notebook, not desktop."
  
  so is windows xp running on a laptop not a desktop os?
- Tsuroerusu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9When we speak of "desktop Linux" in the way Steven Vaughan-Nichols does in this article, we refer to just desktop usage of Linux, and not traditional datacenter usage, whether it'd be on a desktop- or laptop computer.
  
  The huge huge benefit Linux will get from Lenovo preloading it is that people who buy it can know nothing about installing an OS, just turn it on and use it, all ready to go, like they can with Windows, until they get their first piece of spyware, then it's out the window and off to the shop to buy a new one, which is very ironic as these Windows machine are perfectly good machine, but the OS is compromised like a swiss chease.
  All modern Linux distributions are so easy to install these days that everyone who can install Windows can install Linux, but what about the people who can't install Windows, because they don't have the knowledge, or maybe don't wish to have that knowledge, to install it, then they can't install Linux either, by buying it preloaded and all ready to go, this major roadblock suddenly disappears. I'm confident that Lenovo won't try to sell this to consumers, but like you can buy SLED 10 from novell.com even if you're a normal Joe user, you probably will be able to buy one of these ThinkPads.
ramsinks.com, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1... why not just install linux on .. whatever you have Tsuronerusu?
- motang, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Well the problem I see is you have pay of Windows weather you want it or not, I had to for my HP laptop, and soon as I got it I wiped out XP Home and installed Ubuntu.
- drakonite, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11Linux installed from the factory means that hopefully Linux users won't be forced to pay the Windows tax anymore.
- Tsuroerusu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5I already run Linux or BSD on every machine I own, but I do not have a laptop. I was considering saving up for one for school stuff, and ThinkPads seemed a little pricy, but I'm willing to pay a little bit more for hardware from companies who support Linux, and not force the Redmond monopoly down your throat.
motang, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5This is good that major companies are recognizing Linux, weather it be RedHat, Suse, Ubuntu, or any other distro.
omnivector, on 10/12/2007, -7/+6Too bad it's not Ubuntu, sigh.
- Phocion55, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1see http://www.digg.com/linux_unix/Lenovo_preloads_SUSE_on_ThinkPad#c2576491 above
- GMorgan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2No but the fact that SUSE runs on it means that it will have 100% hardware compatibility with any Linux you care to run. If these things become big I wouldn't be suprised if somebody made a Thinkpad centric Ubuntu distro or at least wrote a script to get everything working.
- zydehkim, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Have you tried SUSE? Although I do prefer Ubuntu(I use it), the newest SUSE is extremely easy to set up and use. Any step forward in Linux adoption is good. Maybe another manufacturer will preload Ubuntu.
- Justathought, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Actually, SUSE is the best choice as far as I can see. I've used several distros since I started using Linux in the late 90's. SUSE 10.0 is currently on my home PC and I love it. The only problem I can think of is that it doesn't mount my Palm as a USB mass storage device (when I use Softick's Card Export). So, I've been looking to upgrade for this and also just to have the latest. I have an extra machine that I just use for trying new distros as they come out. I tried both, K/ubuntu and Mepis, to see what all the hype was about. I must give them credit for Synaptic. It is a very good software management tool. But other than that, they both felt like a step back compared to SUSE in most every thing else. I also tried PCLinuxOS. Nothing beats it as far as ease of installation. For a newbie installing Linux by himself that's what I would recommend. I was upset and disappointed with Novell for having released such a buggy SUSE 10.1, so I went looking around at other distros. But, hearing of XGL made me give them another look. Fortunately I found that they have mostly fixed the problems. If you install SUSE now, even from the same CDs that you may have originally installed and found buggy, you can now easily download the patches that correct the bugs in its update manager. I found XGL cool, but with one major problem, you loose your hardware acceleration. If you don't mind this, XGL is well worth it then. As for me, having looked around at the current state of the free Desktop Linuxes (well OK I didn't try Freespire. maybe next time) I am going to install SUSE 10.0 in my home machine, where it should stay until the next big upgrade season comes around. Of course, I doubt that Lenovo will be using the Open SUSE version any way, but for those debating on a Linux distro, SUSE is certainly the most polished and professional feeling one of the lot, I think.
- Justathought, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Oops, I should have said:
  "I am going to install SUSE 10.1 in my home machine, where it should stay until the next big upgrade season comes around. " I wish there was an edit function.
- GMorgan, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I imagine the problems with Ubuntu were the need to use a CLI at some point (the number one complaint).
supermanred, on 10/12/2007, -13/+3Laptops with linux...great... can you install windows on them?
bieber, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4System 76 has been selling laptops preloaded with GNU/Linux for a while. They're just not quite as high profile as Lenovo...
KMartSheriff, on 10/12/2007, -8/+1Are Linux and ThinkPads like the Linux nerds wet dream or something? I always hear about how "impossibly incredible" ThinkPads are, yet I've never seen anyone with one
- theblooms, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6I have owned an Acer, a couple Armadas (the corporate Compaq), and a Gateway. I've extensively used HP's, Viao's and Satellites. I'm on my third ThinkPad. And yes, they really aren't like any other notebook (though the Toshiba Satellites are the closest of the also rans).
  The keyboards are just so good it is indescribable. On my desktop, I use a MS Natural, which is to me the best keyboard in existence. My ThinkPad's keyboards are damn near that good, and about 100X better than the crappy basic Logitech that I am forced to use on my workstation here at work.
  
  Until you live with a ThinkPad, you don't know what you are missing.
- thepxc, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I like them for some of the littler things. Some don't even have an annoying touch-pad, and they never force you to use it. The keyboards usually have the INS/HOME/PGUP etc. keys in the right place.
KMartSheriff, on 10/12/2007, -9/+1Wow are those ThinkPads ugly
hadees, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3Good start but it would be nice if they had multiple distros. Because getting SUSE on my Thinkpad means I still will have to do the same as getting Windows and install Gentoo.
- mDot, on 10/12/2007, -8/+2Dork.
- Tsuroerusu, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4@ hadees
  "Good start but it would be nice if they had multiple distros. Because getting SUSE on my Thinkpad means I still will have to do the same as getting Windows and install Gentoo."
  
  In theory, SLED 10 costs zero dollars, it's the support contract that includes updates, that you pay for. Why is this the case? Because you can go to http://download.novell.com and download SLED 10 if you want to, the online updates will be available for 60 days and then you have to pay for a support contract, but the rest of the OS is fully functional and you can use it as you wish.
  
  Also, sure it would be nice to allow customers to choose between multiple Linux distros, but since this will most likely be aimed at business customers, I don't think it really matters. And I think the reason Lenovo has accepted Novell's SLED 10, is that Novell is a major company backing Linux, sure Novell doesn't have as big a market share as Red Hat does, but remember that Red Hat has been in business for over a decade now and have had plenty of time to build their reputation as one of the leaders in the Linux space, so it's gonna take a little while for Novell to really get the their truck running smoothly, but I think this move by Lenovo shows that they're well on their way, plus at least with SUSE you show Lenovo that you're a Linux user and care about their Linux offerings, and are not just another guy buying a Windows machine from them, even if you decide to use Gentoo, Fedora, Ubuntu or even Red Hat Enterprise Linux on it.
dcperspective, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4dcperspective- Thursday, June 02, 2005

So it looks like you will have real consumer desktop choices coming for the first time this fall. Within the next year IBM, HP/Compaq, and and now Dell will be offering systems with DIFFERENT operating systems for the first time EVER. Novell, Redhat, and Microsoft all direct and preconfigured.

That's when I first predicted this on my Blog- boy talk about being off by more than a year and a mile.

What has transpired in that year I find quite intriguing.

Novell was in pretty serious discussions with the top tier last year this time with NLD9 and the story king of disappeared. Good thing in the long run because they really didn't have the desktop ready- servers- yea, but the desktop was still a little loose.

Not now- SLED 10 is the real deal to be the flag carrier for all the linux distro's to finally crack the oem barrier. The fact that the distro unit included has corporate subscription support and automatic updating to boot means that the crack in the OEM barrier will grow as long as distro's take the lead on supporting their users and maintaining their Quality Control on update services.

Not that the crack will grow to a break quickly but this day will none the less go down in history as the day the crack really started.

BTW- all those who are wishing Ubuntu was the flag bearer remember that Novell is the back end. The back end that can manage and support billions is the one we want carrying the flag.
Smeltn, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7I have a Thinkpad notebook.. My wife uses it to surf the web, order movies (netflix), and pay bills.. I REALLY want to load Ubuntu on it.. Problem is, is that our banking website does NOT work in Firefox, ONLY works in Internet Explorer.. So I am screwed unless anyone knows of another way?
- mDot, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11My personal solution was installing Windows as a virtual machine. But then I got practical and ditched that God-awful bank for Washington Mutual.
  
  Any financial institution that requires the uses of a browser that is so easily compromised is not one I want to have handling my money.
- Quix, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Unfortunately I have no idea on a solution to the banking problem, but looking forward I definitely see OS diversification as a VERY good thing for the consumer in that regard. That anyone forces you to use "this" browser on "that" operating system to access an online application is ludicrous. The migration of more Windows users to Linux and OS X will help tear down the walls of proprietary online access.
  
  Thumbs up to Lenovo for helping speed up the liberation of desktop computing.
- albybum, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4For those that need to use IE in Linux
  
  Install Wine
  Install IE6 (or more) using this script
  http://www.tatanka.com.br/ies4linux/index-en.html
- bikeheadDOTcom, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Sometimes websites simply block non-IE browsers even though most of their website works in FireFox/Mozilla/etc. In these cases you can install and try the firefox "user agent switcher" add-on: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/59/
  
  Once installed... tools->user agent switcher->internet explorer.
- tgone, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Sorry to hear - I'm running Ubuntu Dapper on my T43 and it works great. It's more stable than Windows and runs faster...
dminnisher, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1It is always dissapointing to see the Linux community waiting for a big OEM to service their needs. Shouldn't Linux users, of all people, support small computer vendors? Shouldn't they support the people who have been willing to address their need for years?

Reality check: Dell is not likely to support Linux because if they give Linux legitimacy, then they will no longer have as much of a competitive advantage with the incredible discount they get on Windows.
- Tsuroerusu, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2@ dminnisher
  "Dell is not likely to support Linux because if they give Linux legitimacy, then they will no longer have as much of a competitive advantage with the incredible discount they get on Windows."
  
  Sure, but if both Lenovo, HP or maybe more Tier-1 vendors start preloading Linux and they see some measureably sized profits from it, Dell is kinda "behind" in the market, and I'm sure Lenovo aren't gonna try to market this to home users anyway, f course I hope that home users can buy one if they wish to do so, so Dell can just sell Vista to home users and Microsoft won't be too pissed off.
- gregleimbeck, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES v4, 1YR Red Hat Network Subscription, EM64T [subtract $450]
  
  Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES v4, 3YR Red Hat Network Subscription, EM64T [add $248]
  
  SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 EM64T, 2 CPU, 1 YR Sub (Non-Factory Install) [subtract $530]
  
  SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 EM64T, 2 CPU, 3YR Sub (Non-Factory Install) [subtract $52]
  
  No Operating System [subtract $799]
  
  Red Hat Enterprise Linux - No Factory Installed Operating System [subtract $799]
  
  No Operating System, Novell NetWare [subtract $799]
  
  Novell Netware 6.5 with 5 New Users, Non-Factory Install add $0
  
  Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS 4, 1YR RHN Subscription, Non Factory Install [add $100]
  
  Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS 4, 3YR RHN Subscription, Non Factory Install [add $1,900]
  
  VMware Virtual Node 2.5.2, 2-CPU, w/ 1yr Service, Non Factory Install [add $7,200]
JohnCrichton, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1Great!!! Does this now mean that I can get support from Lenovo with Battlefield 2 installation problems?
- Tsuroerusu, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4@ JohnCrichton
  "Great!!! Does this now mean that I can get support from Lenovo with Battlefield 2 installation problems?"
  
  Probably not, as this most likely will be aimed at business users, and even if it were aimed at home users, I doubt Lenovo would support installing games made for Windows, on a Linux computer, that just doesn't make any sense, that's like asking Mercedes supporting Toyota parts in the engines they make.
- theblooms, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1@ JohnCrichton
  
  I was watching "Pinks" the other night, (KICK ASS show, if you've never seen it) and a dude had a Fox body Mustang with a Small Block Chevy in it. I seriously doubt that any Ford dealer would work on that car. Or Chevy dealer for that matter.
  
  The situation you describe is exactly the same thing. You're on your own for that one.
D14BL0, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2SUSE is a great Linux distro for laptops. I'm not up-to-date with the latest ThinkPads, but I'm sure that SUSE and ThinkPad make a great couple.
jellygraph, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3brilliant. i always wanted a thinkpad, was a bit hesistant since lenovo bought it, but they've won me over. my next laptop will be a thinkpad
topcat5, on 10/12/2007, -4/+0Ho hum, Leveno needs to do anything to sell a laptop today. Too bad they have not realized that Suse as a desktop stinks and the world has moved on to Ubuntu.
- Phocion55, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Riiiiiight...let's all jump on the bandwagon and do something cuz it's "trendy". You must be one of those guys who gets off everytime they see Ubuntu in a news topic on Digg. SuSE is a good distro...I'd take it over the overrated Ubuntu anyday.
deltasig, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Long Live Novell
almightystoph, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2So, does the price go down when I'm not funding Bill Gates? If the price is the same, I'll take a free copy of Windows and dual-boot Linux thank you very much
almightystoph, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3So, does the price go down when I'm not funding Bill Gates? If the price is the same, I'll take a free copy of Windows and dual-boot Linux thank you very much
jejones, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Before I start seriously celebrating, I want to see some things:

1. The actual offer.
2. Whether all the hardware is completely compatible, i.e. under Linux does one have access to all its functionality.
3. The price, especially what it is relative to the same hardware offered with Windows. If they want my business, it had better be less--and ideally, I'd like evidence that if I buy it, not one penny of my money is going to MS.
thisdude415, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Hm... if this isn't availible now, i'm gonna have to wait untill it is! i've been wanting a lenovo... but i want the T60, not T60p
clevershark, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Hmm... that's almost 2 grand for a laptop. Except for a Powerbook I bought in 1998, I haven't paid more than $800 for laptops that all ran Linux quite well. Just today I installed 64-bit FC5 on an HP Pavilion zv6100 that I paid less than $600 for on Ebay.
Crypty, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Sweeeeet.
In my experience though, SUSE is a bit bloated. Ubuntu is a much nicer package overall, so I hope they offer that soon.
Sp1k3d, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I know what kind of notebook I will buy now, Lenovo all the way! I will probably reformat it and put Ubuntu on it, but I just have to support a major vendor that supports my freedom.
Lobster, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1The following laptops already dual boot Linux
http://puppylinux.org/wikka/LaptopsWorking

Running from Ram (loading from CD into RAM and then Hard Disk write every 30 mins or shutdown) means your battery lasts longer

Puppy now writes (saves configuration and data in one XP NTFS file) to all Windows versions safely

CD's can be ordered here (ISO download is free of course)
http://www.puppylinux.com/download/downpage.htm#Purchase

So how much would it cost a manufacturer to provide a CD
and offer "Linux / Windows dual boot system"

a few cents - that's if Microtheft let them

It seems Microsoft is the hardware
and manufacturers are the softies.

Stand up to this extortion racket and offer cheaper computers so more consumers buy them. I need about 10 laptops.
raindog469, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This is great news, but still just a first step. The T60 is nice but kinda heavy.

I think I'll still pay Emperor Linux the extra 400 bucks or whatever to get myself an X41 tablet with everything working perfectly out of the box. The time it would take me to get all that stuff working would be worth way more than 400 bucks.
revenant2org, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Only Merom is missing to be the perfect laptop for me.
Dashing, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0My school chooses to use the ThinkPad line for their students. We're currently running R52's (Stop laughing).

Although next quarter (September-ish), the school will be upgrading to the T Line, issuing out T-60's specifically. I wonder if they will get the ones with SUSE. I doubt it though, the school is highly sponsored by Microsoft.

This is a great move for Lenovo, and great things are sure to come for laptops.

I just can't wait for the huge upgrade from a R52.
Bicep, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1The ThinkPad T61p has a 15.4-inch wide screen, runs 10% cooler than previous models, and is three decibels quieter. The Thinkpad T series notebooks are also certified for SuSE Linux (see http://tinyurl.com/yq3hlc). Submit your request for Lenovo to provide support for a different Linux distro here: http://www.lenovo.com/scripts/contact/contact3/us/
Bicep, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1@bicep previous posting...
Whoops, did I Biff up the links even though I tested them about 15 times..

Support for SUSE Linux mentioned on the Lenovo site here:
http://www.pc.ibm.com/us/notebooks/thinkpad/t-series/workstation.html

AND

Email your requests/complaints (I asked for Ubuntu) for pre-Installed Linux and support for Distros other than SUSE here: http://www.lenovo.com/scripts/contact/contact3/us/en
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Lenovo preloads SUSE on ThinkPad

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