HP re-enters Linux desktop market with Suse PC

10.12.2008
Hewlett-Packard said Wednesday it will offer 's Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop bundle on one of its desktop PCs.

Aimed at schools and small-to-medium-sized businesses, the will be available in mid-December. Besides Suse, it will come with the office suite and other applications. Users can also download more than 40 free education-related software applications for teachers and students, along with school administration applications.

"Over the last several months, our engagement with customers in the education segment really pushed us to make this offer available," said Lance Stevens, software product marketing manager at HP. "It was the customer interest, not really any lack of uptake in or the [success] of Linux Netbooks."

HP joins Dell Inc. and Lenovo among the larger vendors that have slowly

HP, which claims to be the largest reseller of Linux servers, has a longer relationship with Linux on the desktop than other vendors, though that has blown hot and cold.

As far back as 2000,