In spite of signing a whopping $1.2 Billion deal with Microsoft, PC maker Lenovo says it has no plans to stop supporting the open-source Linux OS. Lenovo vehemently denied that they are planning to leave Linux alone in the cold since it has already inked a big-money contract with the Bill Gates camp.

This issue started when Frank Kardonski, worldwide product manager for Lenovo's 3000 series, said in an earlier statement that "we (Lenovo) will not have models available for Linux, and we do not have custom order, either...What you see is what you get. And at this point, it's (Microsoft) Windows." I don't know about you but to me, the statement doesn't get any clearer than that.

After delivering that statement, the Lenovo people have been busy correcting Kardonski's boo-boo. They have emphasized that Mr. Kardonski provided incorrect information and that the company plans on supporting the open-source operating system. This was echoed by Mark Godin, V.P. for Marketing of Lenovo notebooks when he said that "there has really been no change in the support and commitment to the Linux community and to our customers and business partners."

Kardonski apparently confused Lenovo's stand on providing licences for Linux, as opposed to providing preloaded versions of the software for customers. Lenovo doesn't provide licences for the software since the customers are responsible for acquiring the licence on their own, but the PC maker will preinstall the desired configuration on new ThinkPads once the licence has been obtained.

Lenovo also want to make it clear that they actually plan on supporting Linux on its ThinkPads starting in the third quarter, in partnership with software conglomerate, Novell.