This could result in Microsoft losing some of its market share with pre-loaded Windows Vista on new PCs. This looks like the tide is changing and it could be good for all consumers PCs become cheaper with Linux preloaded instead of Windows Vista.

On Tuesday, IBM put its reputation and strength behind Linux distributors Canonical, Novell, and Red Hat in building Microsoft free PCs for business.

Also at the LinuxWorld conference in San Francisco, IBM announced its first certified package of open source software for Linux-based supercomputers.

In the Microsoft-related announcement, IBM and its partners said there’s market demand for less expensive PCs than those that ship with the Windows operating system and Microsoft’s Office suite of applications. The four companies see Vista, the latest version of Windows, as opening the door for OS rivals.

Among the complaints of Vista is that it requires more powerful computers than those running XP, the previous version of Windows. As a result, many businesses have delayed upgrading to Vista until the end of their hardware life cycle.

IBM said this gives it and the Linux distributors the opportunity to work with hardware partners to offer PCs preloaded with Linux and IBM’s Open Collaboration Client Solution, which includes Lotus Notes, Lotus Symphony, and Lotus Sametime.