Thinkpad Linux Laptops: The Professional Choice?Linux ThinkPad laptops have been around a lot longer than many people realize. There are at least a few reasons why this has happened. This article discusses a few of those reasons, but should not be considered a complete look at this somewhat complicated issue. Perhaps the main reason Linux ThinkPad notebooks have not received the attention they deserve is because of the overshadowing that has occurred because of Windows. Anyone who knows about Operating Systems (OS) will have heard of Windows, and probably have heard a lot about it. Linux, on the other hand, which is also an OS is not so widely marketed to the public at large, and thus has had less exposure to the masses. Some of this changed when IBM and Lenovo teamed up some years ago and the marketing of the Linux ThinkPad laptops became more important. Even so, most consumers are far more aware of the Windows OS than they are of the other systems that are currently being sold. Another issue with running Linux on ThinkPad laptops is that you cannot simply buy new, in-the-box Linux ThinkPad laptops. What is meant by this is that you cannot simply buy the Linux system pre-installed; you have to put it on the computer yourself or have a professional do that for you. There are some models of the computer that even require that you specifically ask for a device that will be compatible with the system before you purchase the computer. It is important to understand that this is not the case with all models, but if you plan to run Linux on ThinkPad laptops that you are thinking of buying, you should check on this before you commit to the purchase. Two issues that are not often discussed at the retail level when comparing Windows to Linux ThinkPad laptops are functionality and accessibility. There are many people who believe that Windows, even the new Vista OS, is just fine for their needs and desires. It does what they want it to do and it comes pre-installed on the computer. No fuss, no muss. The Windows OS will run thousands of applications in just about any area imaginable. Linux ThinkPad laptops, on the other hand, are usually considered to be more business-like, developed for a higher professional level of use. This does not mean that the system is hard to use or that it is too complicated for the average user to understand, but there is a certain stigma that this OS is not as user friendly as the Windows products. Anyone thinking of using Linux ThinkPad laptops should spend a few minutes doing some research on whether or not the model of computer they want is compatible with the OS as well as if they need to order a special version of the model. |