IBM and Linux Big Blue has a very clear motivation for supporting GNU/Linux -- it commoditizes away the operating system layer. GNU/Linux (and other open source software) also supports interoperability better and more reliably than any closed system can. In a fractured market, open source standards absolutely win. In a monopolized market (the desktop PC), it is much less clear.

Hardware support Very thoughtful article on one person's experience with hardware support for Linux. Indeed, I noticed the petulance among Linux supporters the article mentioned in my own recent post on this. Until Linux is more widespread on the desktop, it might make economic sense for hardware manufacturers not to support it. Once it spreads however, there will be no reason for them to not commodify away the complementary operating system. On the server-side it's another story...