[ltp] IBM's ThinkPad/Linux support project being dropped

[Tod Harter]

On Sunday 23 June 2002 23:26, Cynthia Eliason wrote:
> Keith Frechette wrote:
> >Over the last 3 years I've had the pleasure of supporting the Linux
> >community in its efforts to run Linux on IBM ThinkPad notebook computers.
> >I've even had the experience of supporting IBM President Sam Palmisano and
> >his team as he delivered his LinuxWorld NYC 2001 keynote address using a
> >Linux-preloaded IBM ThinkPad T21. But, after 3 years, IBM has decided to
> >no longer fund that project,
>
> I'm told that when IBM was selling computers with OS/2 pre-loaded,
> Microsoft put pressure on them and succeeded in stopping them.
>
> I wonder why they are dropping this Linux project?
>
> Cindy Eliason

Your suspicion may be right Cindy, but I suspect it isn't going to matter... 
I mean if IBM won't support them directly, then someone else will. IBM could 
of course choose to use a lot of unsupported hardware, but then they're just 
damaging their position in an emerging market. My bet would be its either a 
matter of internal politics, or a tactical withdrawal which will be followed 
by some new form of support once they've achieved whatever objective they're 
maneuvering for now. Personally I'm suprised at how much more interest 
businesses are showing in desktop Linux in the last 2 months. IBM may not 
perceive it yet as a major market, but with the advent of KDE 3 and 
OpenOffice 1.0 and Mozilla its become a viable solution to offer to clients. 
Once its on desktops, laptops must perforce follow...

>
>
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