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Frank Kardonski, worldwide product manager of PC manufacturer Lenovo, made comments to the extent that the company will no longer offer Linux as an option.

Then the company itself stepped in to say Kardonski's statement had been "misinterpreted," and that another announcement on the matter will be issued.

Kardonski's original quote, as posted on CRN's website: "We 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 Windows."

Although there doesn't appear to be much ambiguity in those words, Lenovo's quick denial may mean there's hope for Linux yet in this matter.

Lenovo is a large and fairly important manufacturer, employing 19,000 people worldwide.

Dropping Linux, the most prominent open-source operating system, would inhibit the spread of the free software. But it is that precisely that spread - Linux is becoming more and more common - that makes it less likely Lenovo would drop Linux as an option.

One other concern is that Microsoft might have put Lenovo in a position where the manufacturer would have to offer Windows exclusively.

Lenovo is big enough to have some bargaining power, though, so this probably isn't an issue.

Many individuals have reacted to Kardonski's statement with words of disappointment and distress; Linux users are generally viewed as fiercely loyal to the operating system.

With the Linux market projected to exceed $35.7 billion by 2008, the cult may gather many more followers - so long as manufacturers such as Lenovo continue to offer it as an option.

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Doug is a staff writer for WebProNews. Visit WebProNews for the latest eBusiness news.