I can't believe that they would charge $1200 more for SUSE Linux the Windows. If Novell is going to charge that much for their Linux maybe Lenovo should do what Dell did and use the FREE Ubuntu Linux.

It is nice to see a company give customers a choice in operating systems. I just wish it extended to other os's; ie eComStation http://www.ecomstation.com , different versions of Linux, ReactOS http://www.reactos.org , FreeDOS and GUI http://www.freedos.org , etc.

I think Debian would be an excellent choice. It uses the same atp-get command for updates.

Novell, like all Linux distributors, isn't allowed to charge for Linux. What they, and others like Red Hat, charge for is support. Automatic, fully regression-tested, patching and updating.

Anyone can download SLED 10 directly from Novell's site. But if you need support, you must pay for it.

Depending on the number of installs, support ranges from 25 to 50 dollars per year. Not bad for what you get.

Note, too, that Dell's machines with Ubuntu are more expensive than the same machine with Windows. This covers the additional support they expect to expend on buyers of the Linux system.

Lenovo likely chose SLED because it's a "professional" desktop OS. It's pretty stripped down with only the things you need to run a business desktop. In line with this, Novell's support infrastructure is designed to support corporate, not home or hobbiest, users. They expect their customers to have competent internal support staff. Lenovo, formerly IBM, is definitely targeting this corporate market with their laptops.

Sled is the best corporate desktop on the market.
My family uses it at home with there Ipod and digital camera, it is perfect for home use. I would put it up against ubunsrew any day. In fact Ubuntu got a bad review on the dell computers. I hate how they represent a Linux computer.
Dell should of pick suse Linux enterprise desktop.
http://ptech.allthingsd.com/20070913/linuxs-free-system-is-now-easier-to-use-but-not-for-everyone/