update Lenovo has announced it will offer a pre-installed version of Linux on selected ThinkPad notebooks.
The Chinese PC maker has selected Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 from Novell as its first supported entry into the world of open source beginning in the fourth quarter.
Though ThinkPads have been certified to run Linux in the past, this is the first time Lenovo will support the hardware and operating system directly.
Novell will be responsible for providing operating system updates to Lenovo's customers. ThinkPads with Suse Linux will be available to Lenovo's commercial customers and individuals.
A local spokesperson for Lenovo said the company would offer, in Australia for the first time, Linux pre-loaded on its ThinkPad "T" series from December or January .
"Pricing will be made available closer to the availability date and will be dependant on the configuration," he said.
The announcement coincides with the opening of the LinuxWorld conference in San Francisco on Monday in the US.
In May, Dell opted for the Ubuntu version of Linux on a smattering of notebooks and PCs. The company has yet to announce Linux as a pre-installed option on computers outside of the US.
Luke Anderson from ZDNet Australia contributed to this report.
