Lenovo To Shun Linux 462
dominique_cimafranca writes "CRN reports that Lenovo will not install or support the Linux operating system on any of its PCs. Lenovo is positioning itself as an exclusive partner of Microsoft, several weeks after the companies announced they were 'reaffirming' global market development and cooperation agreements." From the article: "A Lenovo spokesman later said the non-Linux strategy is also applicable for the company's Thinkpad brand of notebooks, although Lenovo will provide advice to customers who insist on deploying desktop Linux systems in some fashion. While Lenovo and Microsoft have had a long OEM relationship that pre-dates Lenovo's takeover last year of the former IBM PC Co., IBM had been supportive of Linux throughout its product line -- including preloading it on Thinkpads -- before the sale to Lenovo."
That's OK... (Score:5, Funny)
They'll come crawling back to us when Vista turns out to be a flop.
Never thought I'd say this (Score:5, Insightful)
By the time Vista comes out, Edgy will have been released. I'm seriously considering thoroughly forsaking Microsoft when Vista rolls around.
Re:Never thought I'd say this (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Never thought I'd say this (Score:2)
Re:Never thought I'd say this (Score:4, Interesting)
I don't know about you, but I'd like to change that. And the easiest way to change that is to put Linux on as many systems as possible, no matter how much work it might take to get an equivalent system, because that reduces the power Microsoft has over you and the world, and can directly and indirectly impact how easy it will be for other people to slip out of MS's control later.
Re:Never thought I'd say this (Score:3, Insightful)
The Geek converting his relatives to Linux (not always by choice) counts for little in the larger scheme of things.
"wonderful" dapper my ass. (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:"wonderful" dapper my ass. (Score:5, Insightful)
Btw, for your peculier problems like dual heads, and sticked usb drives, you can't judge if linux (ie. dapper) not ready for desktop. Vast majority of desktop users do not have dual head display, and for vast majority of the desktop applications Ubuntu desktop is superior than Windows, like having ready ofiice suite, pdf reader, im client and powerful graphic editors etc. Besides these applications you also have a proven security.
you got it wrong (Score:2)
Now, I'll give you this much: Gnome still lacks a good GUI for configuring multiple monitors. The reason it's not there yet is probably because there hasn't been a big need for it in the past: m
Re:you got it wrong (Score:3, Insightful)
The reason it's not there yet is probably because there hasn't been a big need for it in the past: most vendors didn't make drivers available, and the few people for whom this mattered spent the 30 minutes to figure it out.
Well, speaking as someone who can - and has - "figured it out", the experience was enough to keep me away from Linux as a desktop until the situation has *dramatically* improved. It's the tedium and difficulty of these sorts of tasks - which should be trivially easy - that really needs
Re:Word of the Day: Switcher (Score:3, Insightful)
Yeah. I'm pretty sure that Apple disagrees with you [apple.com]. Trying to say that the mac is only for the elite few that possess some sort of hidden knowledge that the rest of us don't have (which apparently has to do with knowing what some animated QuicktimeVR animal is).
In other words, shut the fuck up and go back to your little hole of a perfect world where only you and your
Not to sound like an ass, but... (Score:3, Insightful)
I don't have an aversion to text files - so long as the contents of which are well documented. But people coming from Windows are used to having their graphical editors - which distros like Ubuntu do a TERRIFIC job at providing. Why not provide some consistency for those types of users? Or should anyone who does not have a Lin
Re:Never thought I'd say this (Score:2)
If Tom's review is a good list of the new features, well... I'm significantly underwhelmed. You have the option of running your swap on a flash drive! Well hoo-fucking-ray! I guess I also have the option of burning out the cells in the span of a month!
Microsoft is entirely capable of producing a next-generation OS with lots of new, innovative technology.
Re:Never thought I'd say this (Score:4, Insightful)
Microsoft has some of the smartest CS researchers in the industry But that is neither necessary nor sufficient for producing a commercial next-generation OS. "Innovation" in a commercial OS doesn't mean inventing new stuff, it means being able to sell stuff that was invented 20 years ago but hasn't made it to market yet.
Re:Never thought I'd say this (Score:2)
It's not. In particular, the meat and potatoes of the under-the-hood changes are pretty much ignored.
Microsoft is entirely capable of producing a next-generation OS with lots of new, innovative technology. Vist isn't it.
There's not a lot of "innovation" left to be done in OSes. It's not like much "innovation" (if you want to go by a strict dictionary definition) has appeared in OSes for 20 - 30 years.
I don't think so (Score:3, Informative)
The combination of Gnome, KDE, and X11 in (K)Ubuntu already gives you a choice of dozens of well-designed themes each, in addition to having implemented nearly all the special effects that OS X has.
But that's just the beginning, because the Xgl ar
Re: (Score:2)
Re:I don't think so (Score:3, Insightful)
Linux GUIs are getting complex because that's what users coming from Windows and Macintosh expect. If you want Linux GUIs to get better, get Apple and Microsoft to clean up their shitty user interfaces so that Linux doesn't have to keep supporting that kind of mess.
Re:Or when the Chinese government tells them to (Score:3, Informative)
They were right! (Score:4, Interesting)
Really though... why are they doing this? Seems like they would lose a decent amount of customers considering they're not sold to no-speaky-tech people at Walmart/Circuit City... isn't Linux gaining market share?... Seems to me if a market is growing, you should capitalize on it rather than shun it.
Re:They were right! (Score:3, Interesting)
To answer that, you have to ask "Cui bono?", and the answer to that is "Microsoft". So the most logical explanation is that Microsoft has offered Lenovo extra discounts if Lenovo agrees to discourage Linux use; or has threatened less-favorable terms if Lenovo does not agree to discourage Linux use.
IBM had the clout to resist Microsoft - there are still some big corporations that regard IBM as the gold standard. Lenovo hasn't. So it would come down to ethics and concern for the inte
Re:They were right! (Score:2)
Right. And Microsoft has done SO well at complying with various settlements.
Don't get me wrong - I agree with you in so far as we're not seeing any proof that Microsoft is behind this. But wha
their loss (Score:5, Insightful)
And if they think they can always do that later, they're kidding themselves. People already don't trust their brand name and their ability to innovate, and shipping beige boxes to Microsoft specs is going to damage their brand even more.
Re: (Score:2)
there's plenty of Linux vendors (Score:4, Informative)
For laptops, there are actually plenty of Linux compatible laptops, but there is no single recognizable brand that is consistently Linux compatible, making the problem one of selection, not availability. Fortunately, a number of companies like Emperor Linux [emperorlinux.com] do the legwork for you.
With hardware virtualization on the new Intel mobile chips, using Windows or OS X as a "bootstrap loader and device driver" for Linux is another reasonable choice. That way, you get all the goodness of a Linux desktop environment on your hardware, but installation is trivial and you can strip down the host OS to its bare minimum.
Re:their loss -MS pressure? (Score:3, Interesting)
Lenovo is a company and companies want to make profits.
However small Linux sales were, if they stop Linux sales, they will lose business. If they made a profit on Linux sales, they even lose profit by cutting their Linux offer. They will also lose investments they made.
Companies generally don't want to lose business or profit.
So, why did they do it?
MS offered them a deal. Since IBM is a big player, this deal will have cost MS some money.
So I think this proves MS is at least scared enou
Re:their loss -MS pressure? (Score:3, Interesting)
However small Linux sales were, if they stop Linux sales, they will lose business.
Well, that's not always the case. Shipping or tolerating Linux costs them some money: marketing, support calls, more difficult deals with proprietary hardware vendors. Still, I think all things being equal, Linux is already popular enough so that those costs would have more than been compensated by the sales.
So, I agree that Microsoft probably pushed them with both a ca
Re: (Score:2)
Re:their loss (Score:3, Insightful)
I'm kind of curious if people actually have new Lenovo designed and built laptops and what they think of them. Are they actually good designs at a good price, as good as or better than IBM Thinkpads, so there is a reason to go out of your way to buy them?
IBM Thinkpad was a powerful brand with a lot of market presence, but as nearly as I can tell Lenovo Thinkpad has no cachet at all so this deal basically destroyed the brand and the
Re:their loss (Score:5, Informative)
You really have to look around a bit more: there are thousands of vendors that sell Linux pre-installed and guarantee that it's working, including same-day hardware and software support.
The lack of Linux adoption is really first and foremost a hardware issue
There is no "lack of Linux adoption"; at this point, Linux is the most common OS after Windows, with OS X trailing a distant third on servers and a closer third on desktops. Linux supports far more hardware than OS X, and far more hardware out of the box than Windows.
The only area where there is any practically significant difficulty with Linux and hardware these days is on laptops and with 3D cards--both of those are real problems, but they don't matter that much to Linux's core market, and they will get fixed sooner or later. It's a shame Lenovo didn't take this opportunity to help address these issues, but it's ultimately their loss.
Re:their loss (Score:5, Insightful)
I think the claim that Linux has more presence on the desktop that MacOS [X], requires some evidence.
Is this surprising? (Score:5, Insightful)
Some see this as "Microsoft strong arming", but Lenovo is simply asking, "where is the biggest market", and the biggest market is for machines loaded with Windows, and laden with software ontop.
Is this a set back for Linux on the desktop (on any other UNIX), not really; given that the largest is Dell - who quite frankly, couldn't care less what is loaded onto their machines; start to worry when Dell snubs other operating systems.
Also, lets remember that 40% of the computers shipped today are from small 'white box', local computer stores not the large mega corporations.
Ultimately, however, the ball is in Linux's court; opensource is getting there; it just depends on how patient people are; if they're willing to wait (like me), in a few years time, you'll start to see commercial feature rich software opensource software with in the next couple of years - lets remember, the rate at which features are being added to commercial software is decreasing, companies ( Microsoft namely) have reached a point of diminishing returns - every new feature they're adding, is yielding less and less enthusiasm from the 'geek crowd' and their main customer base.
Its just a matter of time; personally, its going to be the commercial companies who will suffer, they either make the port of their software to alternative operating systems, and gain customer loyalty, or shun these platforms, resulting in opensource software becoming the equal and defacto standard on said platforms.
Yes, although this is slightly off topic, in the end it all ties back to *NIX/*BSD on the desktop, customer demand, and how that customer demand is derived from whether the operating system can provide the same level of software which they need at home, at the office or on the road.
Re:Is this surprising? (Score:2)
Re:Is this surprising? (Score:3, Insightful)
Look at most Dell laptops. They usually work fine [my 630m does] in Linux because for the most part they use consistent components which are documented. That may be intentional but they really have no overt "support" for Linux on the home user front.
So all Lenovo has to do is avoid random custom chips for things like sound, wifi, etc and they'll be ok.
Re:Is this surprising? (Score:3, Interesting)
Most definately; some say, "oh, well, thats what customers demand", but I've yet to find someone who has asked for sharepoint, for example - what is the purpose of that? it seems to be nothing more than a glorified php
Re:Is this surprising? (Score:2)
Meanwhile, back in reality, Solaris and PC-BSD (whatever that is) ain't exactly threating Microsoft, and a new release of Windows can only strength MS's market position rather than weaken it.
Re:Is this surprising? (Score:2)
This plus the new PC will be sold with Vista insure that Microsoft will sell Vista well.
Will Microsoft be put on the wayside as you said?
Well with
I don't think that will stop anything ... (Score:2, Funny)
However, if you force everyone to take the wine, some of them throw it on the floor and fill the glass up with water.
They're the Linux users; the freedom-loving kinds.
Re:I don't think that will stop anything ... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:I don't think that will stop anything ... (Score:2)
Re:I don't think that will stop anything ... (Score:3, Insightful)
What..? What..?!
I thought car analogies were bad. Sheesh...
slashdot analogy (Score:3, Insightful)
That's what Microsoft wants (Score:5, Insightful)
After paying Microsoft for the Windows XP that they delete.
Seriously, this is the real problem. As long as Microsoft gets paid for Windows on every PC shipped, regardless of whether that PC will actually run Windows or not, Microsoft wins. It will use the money that you paid it to, among other things, buy more anti-Linux "studies".
That's one of the reasons that the Lenovo decision is a genuine victory for Microsoft and a real defeat for Linux. Let's face the facts and not pretend otherwise.
Summary is a bit deceptive (Score:2, Insightful)
Somewhere..... (Score:5, Funny)
They don't have to (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:They don't have to (Score:2, Troll)
As a matter of fact IBM used to make similar noises 2-3 years ago especially regarding the Stinkpad including disbanding completely the desktop/laptop Linux team on at least one occasion (and it quietly reappearing later on).
So as far as policy - nothing new here, move along. We 've all seen that.
As far as business development they will get steamrolled into supporting Red Flag Linux by the Chinese Govt do they like it or not for a similar reason to the one quoted by many other posters: "W
Conclusion is simple (Score:3, Insightful)
rehdon
Re:Conclusion is simple (Score:2)
If I ever meet Lenovo, I will shun her/him too.
BTW, who is Lenovo? Why should I care? And how is this news?
It all about getting a better deal on Windows (Score:4, Insightful)
Lenovo - IBM transition (Score:2, Troll)
Hardware: T60 sucks. Latch is loose when it came, "extended" battery doesn't fit snugly into the slot.
Its not defective.. its just like how the Dell's and others used to be a few years ago.
Their quality has gone up and the Lenovo has sunk to new depths. Note its not cheap. Its 2-300 above a similar Dell/Toshiba. Summary: They lost all my future business.
Linux (Fedora,RHEL,Suse,Gentoo),Solaris on intel,FreeBSD: T43 no sweat
Havn't bothered with Lin/Sol
Gotta wonder how IBM feels about this... (Score:5, Interesting)
I used to work for IBM supporting other IBM employees. We certainly had users who ran Linux on Netvistas, Thinkpads, etc. or who ran AIX. You have to wonder what IBM's feelings are on this - after all, IBM has helped to push Linux out the door in the past. They've offered the OS as an installation option so that you boot into Linux fresh out of the box. They also offer support to clients running Linux - typically on IBM hardware.
They've also done substantial work developing a href="http://linux390.marist.edu">S/390 Linux [linux390.marist.edu] in partnership with Marist College. S/390 Linux runs on IBM mainframe systems and allows clients to connect to their own Linux "workstation" hosted off the mainframe (think VMWare - but now instead of running an additional workstation in a window on your own machine, you're running an additional workstation on your own machine but all the processing power and resource utilization is hosted on an OS390 mainframe).
There are a multitude of other places where one can see IBM's support, endorsement, and development of Linux. The big question is where is IBM getting its hardware for its own employees these days? If there's an agreement with Lenovo to purchase PCs from them, I would imagine that this decision will create some serious support problems. It's one thing to have technicians working on laptops that have been designed in house. When the specifications you're working with are open to the communities you serve, you're far more able to create workarounds to specific problems or resolve recurring issues between hardware and OS. If Lenovo is now designing their machines with a commitment to exclusive Windows compatibility, how will this affect the very business that sold the Thinkpad/Netvista etc. names to Lenovo in the first place? What kinds of kinks does this throw into continued IBM development and endorsement of Linux?
Re:Gotta wonder how IBM feels about this... (Score:2)
IBM can flip its 'internals' to Sony Playstation 3 with the IBM supercomputer-on-a-chip any time it feels like.
IBM can also try to interest Lenovo in putting these chips in their personal computers.
The 'layering' is finally right, and we can move on.
Re:Gotta wonder how IBM feels about this... (Score:2)
For all the advertising noise IBM made about Linux, HP actually has more comprehensive machine support, offering Linux on everything from laptops to desktops to Superdome servers.
My thoughts exactly: Will IBMers have Dells? (Score:3, Interesting)
Note: I work for IBM but not for IBM's IT or support departments, and I have no non-public knowledge of IBM's plans, and may well have misunderstood the public info.
IBM is slowly moving toward Linux as the standard desktop for internal use. IBM's CIO actually announced in 2004 that IBM's standard desktop platform would be Linux by the end of 2005. That didn't happen because it turned out to be much harder than expected to get all of the internal apps moved to Linux, but IBM has continued the push in a
Re:Gotta wonder how IBM feels about this... (Score:3, Interesting)
There are a multitude of other places where one can see IBM's support, endorsement, and development of Linux. The big question is where is IBM getting its hardware for its own employees these days? If there's an agreement with Lenovo to purchase PCs from them, I would imagine that this decision will create some serious support problems.
I don't work for Lenovo or IBM, but I do talk to my sales reps on a regular basis and get to ask some pretty pointed questions. Yes, IBM does have a relationship with Le
Lenovo is making its own decisions... (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Lenovo is making its own decisions... (Score:2)
In any case, Lenovo have made a decision against their own interests which will backfire.
It doesnt make much sense (Score:3, Funny)
Not surprising (Score:2)
A shame, though -- AFAIK, Thinkpads continue to be sturdy, functional, elegant machines under Lenovo.
In a bold move (Score:2)
Lenovo isn't evil... (Score:2)
MS is not the only OS out there, and the days are numbered for people who only want to OEM with one brand of OS. Sure, windows will have lots of people buying new pc's and laptops etc. but they will also be the people who don't know if the pc is bad, or there is a virus, or there is an OS problem.
As the Linux out-of-the-box experience improves, it will become more clear why only supporting one OS as OEM product is really not the right move. T
Well screw that! (Score:2)
Is there any other laptop out there as good? (And doesn't have those horrible pad mouse things?
Toshiba Tecra M4 (Score:2, Informative)
I have a proper IBM ThinkPad, and like yourself, I've always liked them. And I will not buy anything that doesn't run Linux, period.
However, when I upgraded my laptop just over a year ago, it was to a Toshiba Tecra M4, because it beat Lenovo ThinkPad hands down in MANY areas: cost (only 1000 UK Pounds, astounding for the specs!), 3D graphics (nVidia 6200 Go), display resolution (1400x1050), all-integrated comms
The problem is Linux, not Lenovo (Score:4, Informative)
But in order for a computer seller to "support" Linux, these things should just work at least to some acceptable degree. Which is not the case really.
Do you know of any other laptop where *all* hardware components work under Linux as they are supposed to?
As long as Linux will continue its "opensource only" policy for drivers, this situation will continue. Simply because Linux does not have the market power to enforce anything (as MS does have). It is quite easy for harware manufacturers to simply ignore Linux. Developing good drivers for Linux would cost more money than they would gain by additional sells.
As somebody who uses Linux 100% of the time, I am not happy about this, but unfortunately, these are the sad facts. Given the current move of Linux advocates against closed source drivers and DRM the situation will get worse in the future. I do not see how it will be possible to play HD/BR-DVDs on a Linux machine or how to handle encrypted HDTV signals.
Unless there is a drastic change of who Linux is getting developed the gap between Linux and Windows will widen -- no matter how crappy, buggy, or insecure Vista will turn out to be (probably not that much, given the effort that was invested in it).
Re:The problem is Linux, not Lenovo (Score:2)
No, that's not the only definition of support. What I would love to have is information on what works out-of-the-box (or with a work-around) -- then I'd know what I'm buying. Say, a web page with a table of a few linux distributions and hardware features. I could easily see that "Ok, modem won't work, 3D needs fiddling, otherwise everything works on distro X
Sightly offtopic but still... (Score:3, Interesting)
Company I'm working for has a contract with IBM and we are using an IBM hardware. I have an R50 laptop and last week I had a chance to try some X series laptops. I have heard that the T series are (were?) a good laptop brand, but I have no experience of them (I've heard that the T series, T42 to be more specific, is quite a nice machine for Linux). Anyway, my R50 - and every other R50 I have dealed with - is just a huge pile of crap. And now the light-weight X series seems to be following the footsteps of the R series. The thing is, both models are, as far as I know, provided by the Lenovo factories.
Oh, and the legendary "black IBM design" with well-finished product quality (case and components) is just a joke. Pieces are not fit together well enough and the finishing touch is just missing. Also, the assembly of the LCD screen is just terrible. Every time, I open the laptop lid, it feels like the CD drive and the lid would come off in any minute.
The worst thing is that most reviewers have been giving absolutely glorious reviews for the R50 series laptops. But maybe drug-abusing is common trait in the laptop-reviewer-circles.
Re:Sightly offtopic but still... (Score:2)
T-series (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Sightly offtopic but still... (Score:3, Insightful)
Am I the only one who thinks that newer IBM / Lenovo laptops are just pieces of crap?
Yes, you are. At least, I would disagree with you.
I've installed and run Linux on lots of IBM ThinkPads: T60, T43, ... R40, R30, ... A31, A30, A21e, ... 770z, 770, 765D, ... 384ED. [umn.edu] I've always considered the ThinkPad to be a solid machine, very Linux friendly. I love the R40 that I'm on, but now that it's 3 years old it's time to replace it with one of the dual-core laptops ... I'm considering the X60, since the T6
So what should I get... (Score:2)
Do any laptop manufacturers supoprt linux now?
I guess its back to trawling www.tuxmobile.org....
Support? (Score:2)
I mean, by allowing users to buy ThinkPads with Linux on it means if there's any problem, they'll have to support it (need it be drivers, or applications, or something that just doesn't work).
Distributions should start recommending hardware (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Distributions should start recommending hardwar (Score:2)
Re:Distributions should start recommending hardwar (Score:3, Interesting)
Funny thing too... ATI's 2D/3D Linux drivers are absolutely amazing on my Thinkpad T42p here. They work solidly and I'm getting ~2,000fps in 1600x1200@24bpp on this laptop. Their setup tool builds packages for Ubuntu, Red Hat, SuSE and others right from the installer itself, including for Debian Unstable, Ubuntu Dapper and other "less-than-stable" distributions.
All I see and hear are complaints about NVidia's drivers, compatibility and installation problems.
Yes, ATI isn't one of the good guys because t
Comment removed (Score:3, Insightful)
Logical (Score:2)
We know Microsoft makes a big issue if a company they have a deal with ships also Linux units.
Hence, it's less pain, more profit and less tech support issues to just ship exclusively Windows units.
Bad corporate move (Score:2)
Solves a problem (Score:2)
I guess this solves a problem for me. I have a Thinkpad from a few years back that I have had some wonderful experiences with. It's been a truly wonderful machine. But I'm not in the market for a new machine within the next year.
But their decision to explicitly not support Linux, which is a not what IBM was doing when I purchased the notebook, has simplified the process. While I am not going to require that a notebook manufacturer sell Linux installed I do appreciate if a company provides even tacit su
In other news... (Score:2)
Re:In other news... (Score:2)
Not sure if you meant this sarcastically or not...
I certainly bought my last two Thinkpads because they were well supported under Linux. It's recorded as a Windows laptop, but is a dual-boot now. I like the Thinkpads, but I have absolutely no brand loyalty to them. In fact, just picked up a couple Dells and a Gateway for testing and they work great.
Maybe it's to increase security! (Score:2)
Of course the problem is, assuming there wasn't a security problem before, there will be now.
Communist operating system! (Score:2)
What really pleases Microsoft? (Score:3, Interesting)
Linux is just a lever to them (Score:2)
One-Vendor Dependent Company (Score:3, Interesting)
I can see this is probably a knee jerk marketing action to boost sales, but it's like saying "We commit support the platform everyone else is supporting already and are not prepared for any weird change in the industry."
So in general there is no real news here: "Our offerings have just become more limited than what they had been in the past. the public should be impressed by that fact, and should give us their business."
Is this really true? (Score:3, Insightful)
Really? I kept looking, and never saw any option for buying a ThinkPad without Windows, let alone one with Linux preloaded.
Sure, back in the days of the ThinkPad 600 there were a few abortive experiments, but that was a long time ago.
I think the only difference is that Lenovo have come out and stated what was IBM's unofficial policy for years.
[Opinions mine, not IBMs.]
Re:Then What laptop should I buy??? (Score:3, Informative)
Actually that's a good question now (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Handy (Score:2)
Re:Handy (Score:2)
I just got a new laptop, and I really wanted to buy a Thinkpad... but they're so much more expensive than Dells and have lower specs. After reading the Lenovo doesn't care about Linux, I'm glad I went for the Dell.
Re:Handy (Score:2)
Re:Handy (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:umm?? question going to buy a new laptop soon (Score:2)
IBM doesn't develop or manufacture personal computers. They have gone the way of the typewriter and punch card.
High growth now is chips for game consoles. Get an Xbox360, a Playstation 3, or a 'Wii'.
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Sweet merciful (Score:2)
Wow, that's even better than "Jesus jumped up Christ on a chariot-driven sidecar". How the hell did you come up with that?!
Re:don't care about mainstream support (Score:4, Insightful)
You'll care once they start producing hardware with encrypted software drivers that only work on Vista or whatever the flavor-of-the-day Microsoft OS is.
The fact that they're working towards becoming an exclusing Microsoft partner means that at some point they will cease to produce anything that is compatible with anything else. From their business point of view it won't make sense to do so.
Re:When Marketing and Sales dept control products (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Now I'm annoyed... (Score:3, Funny)
Laptops... (Score:3, Insightful)