Windows-Free PCs: IBM Returning To PC Business

[CadCrazy]

After Dell, it's IBM to roll out Linux-powered PCs. The OS world is all set to generate more heat than global warming can

Big blue has joined hands with Red Hat to offer Windows-free and Linux-based operating systems to Eastern European countries. According to reports, the company is in talks with some local software distributors to roll out Microsoft-less PCs for Russia and the eastern European market.

Dell has already taken a lead by offering Linux-based operating system, which is proving to be much user-friendly than Microsoft's Windows and much classy and glossy than Apple's Mac. Since there are many alternatives available with Linux OS, one can choose the best OS fulfilling his needs.

The recent announcement of KDE 4.0 and upcoming release of GNOME will further enhance the user experience. It's surprising that while the same visual effects demand at least 1GB of RAM for Windows Vista, much better 3D effects could run well on a 256 MB RAM, running Linux. Additionally, what IBM would provide isn't free Lotus Symphony suite with these Windows-less PCs, Open Source has OpenOffice.org and KOffice as better and free alternatives to Microsoft's expensive Office suite. While MS Office suite doesn't run on Linux, Linux community has made sure that most of its open source software run well on Windows machines.

IBM's announcement will strengthen the Linux penetration and will also provide the much-needed publicity to Linux OS. It is still to be seen when this policy will cross the border of eastern Europe and enter US and other markets. As per the reaction meted out to Dell's Ubuntu, Linux is coming in a big way on desktop platform.

Source

[Choto Cheeta]

i thought IBM is letting Lenovo do this retail stuff

[CadCrazy]

I think they have realised their mistake

[kumarmohit]

Lenovo is a fiasco anyway. Apart from Thinkpad X300, they have not done a single good thing.

[MetalheadGautham]

I guess we will have PowerPC based PCs once again, that too with Linux. Wow, this is a fream come true.

selling PC business to lenovo was a complete fiasco. I guess they may concider buying it back or a harsh takeover.

but their brand equity from the Think Pad name is going to be gone if they start afresh.

[din]

Russia and the eastern European market ..

Hmm, no candy for India

[ray|raven]

^^ Too bad.

[Cyrus_the_virus]

Originally Posted by MetalheadGautham

I guess we will have PowerPC based PCs once again, that too with Linux. Wow, this is a fream come true.

Well, If IBM is going to look back at the PPC structure based systems, I definitely think they would go for the Cell processors... after all, they own the Cell.. and what better chance to get the cell into the hardware market than this? hmmm.. in that case, we are not just going to see a software revolution, but also a hardware one

[praka123]

ppc based "PC"s(have used mac pro),well intel ka dookan closed if IBM is gonna make another revolution with Linux

[ax3]

@Choto Cheeta .... +1 .... so they r back in bussiness ....

[CadCrazy]

I'm waiting for something good to happen

[Cyrus_the_virus]

Latest News:

IBM denies re-entering PC market with Russian deal

IBM has said it is not getting back into the PC market, despite selling "Microsoft-free" PCs running Linux and OpenOffice in Eastern Europe. "We're not getting back into the PC business," said an IBM spokesman, after the company announced deals with system integrators in two Eastern European countries last week.

It is IBM's intention to sell the so-called "Open Referent" systems, based on Red Hat Linux and the company's own Lotus Symphony software, which uses the open-source OpenOffice productivity software, in Eastern Europe.
IBM sold its PC division to Lenovo in 2005 for $1.75 billion, and this is the second indication of overlaps between the companies; Lenovo, having dropped the IBM brand from its ThinkPads, is now moving into servers, licensing the xServer brand and technology from IBM.

IBM will work with VDEL of Austria to make the boxes, which will be distributed by LX Polska of Poland. They will use open-source software instead of any Microsoft components and could cost half as much as the Microsoft-based alternative, according to some reports. IBM said there was a big demand from large businesses and government agencies in Eastern Europe and Russia, including the Russian Ministry of Defense and Aeroflot airline. The RusHotel hotel chain said Open Referent could cut its costs in half.

Part of the driver for the deal seems to be dissatisfaction with Microsoft's document standards, with governments demanding the OpenDocument Format instead of the series of formats used in Microsoft Office applications. Some claim that the Linux PCs are also more secure than their Windows equivalents.

"We are extremely excited that we finally have an alternative document-management offering to Microsoft, based on open source, that fits our needs," Aleksandar Spagnut, director of RusHotel, said in a VDEL press release. "We are already starting to implement this and are happy that IBM is again taking the lead in providing a total solution for the small- and medium-sized market, based on open source."

"Open Referent is a highly competitive alternative to Microsoft offerings for large organizations," said Oleg Churko, director of the Research Institute for Information Security in Minsk, Belarus. "Taking into account the unmatched security offered by the Linux platform, it will set a new standard for document management."

Source: CNet