Lenovo stops selling Linux-based PCs via the web

While Dell seems to be madly and passionately in love with Linux, rival Lenovo is breaking things off... or at least refusing to take things any further via IM. Reportedly, the computer maker has decided it best to stop offering Linux-based machines via its online sales portal, though open-source fanatics can still snap up Linux-infused rigs through Lenovo's own or partner direct sales teams. Ray Gorman, a spokesman for the company, noted that its "commitment to Linux has not changed," and he continued on to say that "what has changed is that customers will no longer be able to order Lenovo ThinkPads and ThinkCentres with pre-installed Linux via the lenovo.com website." Truthfully, there's no bitterness with Linux here -- online sales figures simply didn't justify keeping 'em on there. And you know, money talks.

[Via The Inquirer]

[giuliop @ Sep 13th 2008 8:31PM]

I'll have the BUST, please.

[Ignatius @ Sep 13th 2008 9:26PM]

I'll take the ability to play games, thanks.

[Kurt @ Sep 13th 2008 11:42PM]

The title of this article should be changed to, "Lenovo Drops Linux and Says 'Hail to the King'"

Yeah, i'm prepared for the low-rank.

[Mark Anderson @ Sep 14th 2008 4:40AM]

This just goes to show that techies aside no-one really gives a shit about Linux.

Sad but true.

[Andir3.0 @ Sep 14th 2008 5:08AM]

@Mark : Though your tone is rather degrading to Linux, I'd have to argue that the reason people "don't give a shit" is that it's not commercially marketed toward them. People are consumer whores. I've met tons of people that think Windows and Mac are the only options that exist. Period. In all honesty, most people could be using Linux with no problems whatsoever. I switched my parents over to it because all they do is use the Internet (and that's a stretch because it's basically just Yahoo mail, games, etc.) and I get no complaints. In fact, my mom likes how the menu is organized better. She always hated that the company that made the software was how you had to navigate in the Start Menu. She could never remember which company made her software.

[Kelmon @ Sep 14th 2008 6:17AM]

@Mark Anderson

The truth is probably closest to "no one has heard of Linux". The Linux community still seems to think that "word of mouth" will be sufficient and it's nice to see that some computer manufacturers have met them half-way by actually selling computers with Linux installed. But without actually marketing the product to potential customers, showing why they should switch and the benefits that Linux will give over their current computer, the platform really isn't going to move much. Microsoft is utterly entrenched in the market and Apple are absolute masters in marketing - the current approach by the Linux community simply can't compete.

[Craig B. @ Sep 14th 2008 11:42AM]

...and there's also the misconception, following most distros around from the early releases, that it's so overly complicated and difficult to use.

[rick @ Sep 13th 2008 8:39PM]

But that makes no sense...

How much money does it cost to keep an option open on a website if you're going to have the same option open via direct sales?

I guess it could get to be a lot if those Microsoft website-reimbursing MDFs weren't available if you offered competing OSes...

[BigD145 @ Sep 13th 2008 10:21PM]

I'd love to see them offer no OS.

[j.d.ripper @ Sep 14th 2008 4:38AM]

@rick

I've got to agree with you.
Ray Gorman's response is the kind of garble you hear executives spout when they don't know what they're talking about, or simply trying to BS someone who doesn't know what's going on :-p

It doesn't cost anything to have a drop down list with Vista/Linux. If you're already prepared to sell them via direct sales, then you're already prepared to install/support the OS ..

[Lancelot @ Sep 13th 2008 8:47PM]

I wonder how much "Microsoft" paid them to do this. Seriously, Anyone who's used a newer versions of 'Ubuntu" knows how much easier it is to use than "Vista", plus 10 times safer. People just need to be educated of this fact & offered it loaded on a pc for less money than a comparable 'Vista" machine.

[Benson @ Sep 13th 2008 8:55PM]

Dude, "you're" using "a" lot "of" quotes; "they" don't "really" help.

[The Dude @ Sep 13th 2008 9:47PM]

I "w"o"n"d"e"r" why, then, "M"i"c"r"o"s"o"f"t" hasn't paid off "D"e"l"l" if your theory is correct. As Dell almost certainly has more general consumer sales than Lenovo. Taking Linux out of a relatively smaller fish's line-up like Lenovo wouldn't make a great difference or be worth the effort.

[Striker @ Sep 13th 2008 11:15PM]

Ummm... I'm on the current version of Ubuntu and kernel, and I find Vista worlds easier to use.

[Reader @ Sep 13th 2008 11:26PM]

Are you implying that there is a world-wide conspiracy going on and Microsoft is not actually Microsoft, and Windows Vista is not really Windows Vista? Really that's all I can get from your use of "".

[El Taco @ Sep 14th 2008 12:21AM]

@reader

no, Windows Vista is not really Windows Vista. It's really Windows Mojave. The commercial just has it backwards.

[Mark Anderson @ Sep 14th 2008 4:37AM]

As Striker says Vista is way easier to use than Ubuntu.

[Andir3.0 @ Sep 14th 2008 5:02AM]

As a Lenovo Linux customer who bought the option as a vote for Linux with money...

My Lenovo T61 shipped with Novell SUSE Enterprise Desktop 10. I booted it up and was actually surprised how similar they made it look to Windows. The "Start" menu has the annoying most used icons, search and programs sub-menus just like XP. I eventually ended up wiping it for Ubuntu 8.04 because I liked the package manager better, but Suse is pretty much as close to the "windows experience" as you can get with Linux (that I am aware of, and I'll admit to not looking farther than Ubuntu, Fedora, Mandriva, and a few others.) Given that Microsoft "bought in" to Novell and they offer special Microsoft compatibility programs within Suse, I seriously doubt that any user would have much problem with it.

[Linus @ Sep 13th 2008 9:06PM]

I don't think it was necessary anyways, those that orders the Linux version are tech-savvy enough that they can get the OS for free. Most casual users buy the Windows version.

[k2001 @ Sep 13th 2008 9:16PM]

It cost money because they will have to identify which one of the thinkpad need to install linux and then install it.

[a ham sandwich @ Sep 14th 2008 1:13PM]

wow. uh...come again?

[put4558350 @ Sep 13th 2008 9:24PM]

Lenovo have more profit from install "bloatware" (eg. limit time norton, nero oem) and "xp home discount" that not exist in nearly-all-free program in linux.

[Manny Calavera @ Sep 13th 2008 9:25PM]

Well linux is a platform that i dont know much about i hardly hear about it, so no water off my back

@ giuliop Loving the Grim Fandango Pic

[zmjjmz @ Sep 13th 2008 9:26PM]

But, how can this be a cost factor, if their commitment to Linux pre-installs hasn't changed?
I can't imagine keeping a few entries on a website would cost that much.

[Andir3.0 @ Sep 14th 2008 4:36AM]

It probably actually cost them money to hire someone to remove the option.

[Brian @ Sep 13th 2008 9:37PM]

And the world keeps going 'round and 'round...

[bidur @ Sep 13th 2008 9:38PM]

actually microsoft will punish who ever sells linux by offering another version of windows quite late in compare to others . .

[Mark Anderson @ Sep 14th 2008 4:38AM]

Except IBM and Lenovo aren't actually the same company.

[Conceyted @ Sep 13th 2008 9:44PM]

IBM's website is a freaking joke. Time after time all we get from Engadget regarding IBM is about its website bloopers. Perhaps that is because IBM has done only lackluster things with the Lenovo line recently?

[Craig B. @ Sep 14th 2008 11:45AM]

??? I am completely confused at your comment. It is not a Lenovo line on IBM's website. Lenovo is its own company now for several years, and they do have their own website from which you order. I've never bashed comments on Engadget, but yours, honestly...

[Conceyted @ Sep 14th 2008 11:58AM]

Forgive me. LENOVO's website is a freaking joke. Time after time all we get from Engadget regarding LENOVO is about its website bloopers. Perhaps that is because LENOVO has done only lackluster things with their entire line recently?

Are you able to understand it now? Lenovo actually bought out IBM's computer line so it is not uncommon for people to refer to Lenovo as IBM.

[Unknown @ Sep 15th 2008 9:39AM]

yeah its very uncommon and this is the first time i see somebody refer ibm as lenovo

[Jamesey @ Sep 13th 2008 9:45PM]

I wondered what happened on Lenovo's site. On Wednesday, I was literally going to buy a linux laptop after studying my options on Tuesday, and suddenly the option was gone. Guess I'll have to give them a call.

[El Taco @ Sep 14th 2008 12:23AM]

it takes less than a day to change it

[jon @ Sep 13th 2008 9:49PM]

it costs lenovo money because they have to develop drivers and tech support for Linux OS.

think about all the uneducated people getting low end lenovos and wondering why they don't have windows... lots of frusterated customers and tech support people

[Andir3.0 @ Sep 14th 2008 4:40AM]

WTF are you talking about? I am typing this on a Lenovo T61 Linux laptop right now and the only drivers on this when I got it are available to all Linux distributions. Lenovo didn't need to make any drivers. They simply had to install it. If you are thinking about the the special key support and whatnot... all distributions have access to a tool that provides that. Lenovo didn't need to make anything special there either.

[iEye @ Sep 13th 2008 9:50PM]

Well, if you don't know how to install Linux yourself, you should not be ordering it, will just be a headache for customer service...

They should have an option for a Non-OS lappy... give a nice discount...

[Virtuous @ Sep 13th 2008 10:43PM]

Relatively few consumers will order laptops without an operating system installed. For corporate customers with their own IT departments it makes sense to sell "clean" laptops.

[Reader @ Sep 13th 2008 11:27PM]

Most semi-advanced computer users would. We all just happen to have these extra copies of Windows laying around.

[Andir3.0 @ Sep 14th 2008 4:42AM]

The reason I bought my laptop with Linux pre-installed was sort of like voting for the underdog. It's the only way I could show (with money) that there is a demand for the OS. It cost me $50 for an OS and support I'll never need. It was worth every penny not to have to buy Windows.

[Adriano Macchietto @ Sep 14th 2008 5:23PM]

It would probably be more expensive considering how much money they make off the crapware.

[THJ @ Sep 14th 2008 6:38PM]

I agree. Any company providing tech support for Linux (with the variety of distros and version) must be in it for the passion - can you imagine trying to teach your grandparents how to use ntfs-3g via command line?

[pvanderh @ Sep 13th 2008 9:55PM]

I dont blaim them for dropping linux. i'm pretty sure they've had more than enough idiots buying linux systems not know anything about how to use linux and then calling support complaining about how they can't run Microsoft Office on linux.

[zargon @ Sep 13th 2008 10:20PM]

It was actually cheaper for me to buy my R61 with a Vista machine and ditch it for linux.

[uagent @ Sep 15th 2008 1:49AM]

Actually, mine didn't have the option (even though the heading stated that it was pre-loadable w/ SuSE). Did the same thing though.

[Mr. Ford @ Sep 13th 2008 10:26PM]

Have you ever wondered why prebuilt PC's come with so much bloatware? Does HP, Dell, IBM, etc. really want a consumer to get a computer that immediately needs to be serviced (tweaked)? Do they really want to put a computer on the shelf that doesn't perform up to its potential?

The answer is no!

They do these things to drive down the cost. If companies like Wild Tangent pay for desktop space, or companies like MS subsidize the cost of the PC, then these manufacturers can sell cheaper products. Therefore, a computer running Linux, or no OS at all, will cost more for the manufacturer and consumer alike. If you read Engadget long enough, you will see that cost is the only value that most consumers see.

[Peter @ Sep 13th 2008 10:35PM]

Umm, this is completely off topic, but does anybody actually like the new facebook layout? It seems that everybody hates it (there are atleast two facebook groups with well over 1,000,000 ppl) but since there are more than few million people on facebook I could be wrong.

[TerraCotta @ Sep 13th 2008 10:48PM]

You don't need to be a geek to use Linux. My daughter, 14, was using WinXP OK. She volunteered to replace XP with Ubuntu 8.04, just out of curiosity. We downloaded the Ubuntu ISO, burnt a CD, and installed it on her computer (Ubuntu is the only OS on the hard drive). After a week, surfing the Internet for tips & tricks whenever she need help to install her stuffs (Skype, Instant Messenger, etc.) She ends up with an even nicer GUI than XP (using Compiz), she could use the computer exactly like before. The nice things is that there is no more anti virus, anti spyware to worry about. She could even manage by herself to install a 7Zip plugin to read *.7z file.

After almost a month, she likes better the Ubuntu GUI, the desktop is better organized, the system is snappier and incredibly, most software are available for free (downloadlable from within Ubuntu Add/Remove software menu).

I encourage you to give Ubuntu a try with a little bit of courage and a neutral position about all the OS war. You will be rewarded by the peace of mind. No more junks, security issue, paid updates, etc.

[k2001 @ Sep 13th 2008 11:17PM]

I am curious why your daughter volunteer to replace Ubuntu, if she is fine using window xp.

[TerraCotta @ Sep 14th 2008 12:42AM]

It`s true that she has no trouble with XP. I maintain her XP which is very up to date, decently clean. However she tried out things and frequently scans for spywares just for the sake of tranquility (most of her friends frequently get troubles with security issues). May be she grows tired of that routine. Then she heard of Linux, then one friend made the move who seems very happy. Then she wants to try Linux. One thing is sure, since she has Ubuntu, I spend much less time to maintain her machine.

We are not Linux gurus. We have tested for a few weeks on a test machine. After a few weeks, we installed Linux for real. The most surprising feeling was that we thought we would have a lot of hard time adapting to Linux. It took some adaptation, but not that much, the GUI is intuitive enough.

I think that novice users will ask the same novices questions whether they use Windows or Linux. Although I admit Linux is harder to configure in case of hardware troubles. Fortunately Ubuntu takes care of configuring everything automatically. We are may be lucky (although our computers are 4 years old and another one is a P3) but after installation of Ubuntu, the machines were ready to use.