The effort was originally announced more than a year ago, in August of 2008 as the Microsoft-Free PC effort. The basic idea is to have an Linux OS, with IBM smart client applications called Open Collaboration Client Solution software (OCCS)(Lotus Symphony and Notes) for enterprise apps.

The solution that has now been announced for the U.S, leverages the IBM Client for Smart Work which includes the same set of IBM’s collaboration software. As to why IBM is marketing the solution to the U.S now, the answer is simple: Windows 7.

IBM and Canonical in their press release have stated that the cost of migrating to Windows 7 will be as much as $2,000 for most PC users, with hardware accounting for much of the expense. Linux (and specifically Ubuntu) together with the IBM software is according to the two partners, cheaper to deploy.

“If a company is a ‘Windows shop,’ at some point it will need to evaluate the significant costs of migrating its base to Microsoft’s next desktop and bolstering its defenses against virus and other attacks,” said Bob Picciano, general manager, IBM Lotus in a statement. “American businesses have asked for a compelling alternative and today we are delivering IBM Client for Smart Work in the U.S.”

The IBM/Canonical offer is an interesting one and the timing against Windows 7 is a brilliant stroke of marketing.

That criticism aside, I have no doubt that there will be thousands (if not millions) of businesses in the U.S that cannot or will not, update their hardware in order to run Windows 7.

Continuing to run Windows XP is of course a choice and an option, but with the option to run a modern desktop on the same old hardware, Ubuntu and IBM are (at the very least) providing business users with a viable choice to Windows 7.