From the outside, Hewlett-Packard Co.'s new Compaq nx5000 notebook looks much like any other portable computer. But inside there's a difference.

The operating system installed on the nx5000 is not Microsoft Corp.'s ubiquitous Windows, but Linux. It's a decision that surprised some, because while the open-source operating system is widely used for servers, it's not yet a big player in the market for desktops and notebooks.

Until now, only a few small companies have offered Linux notebooks in Canada. But interest in Linux is growing, says Marc Silverman, co-owner of Toronto-based Sub500.com, which has sold Linux machines on-line for about two years, and recently opened its first storefront in northern Toronto.

Some view HP's move into the market as an important endorsement of Linux for laptops.

"Finally, a mainstream PC vendor is supporting Linux in a more aggressive way on notebooks and desktops," says Simon Yates, senior analyst at Forrester Research Inc. in Cambridge, Mass.
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Source : GlobeAndMail