The world's largest PC-seller is expanding its sale of Linux-based desktops to another 12 countries

Hewlett-Packard has begun selling Linux PCs in 12 Asian countries.

The company plans to tout the Asian Linux machines on Tuesday, which is the same day that the first Open Source Business Conference begins in San Francisco. The systems will run Turbolinux's software, a version of the open-source operating system based on Novell's SuSE Linux, and are geared for business buyers, HP said in a statement.

HP's desktop models, the dx2000 and cd5000, were announced -- barely -- last week. In that news release, HP avoided touting the Linux option, saying that the systems were available with Microsoft Windows "or alternative operating systems." In interviews, though, HP said the models came with MandrakeSoft's version of Linux.

IBM, one of the loudest Linux backers when it comes to high-powered server computers, is beginning to dip its toes into Linux for the desktop. Sun Microsystems, however, is the loudest desktop Linux backer, though the company doesn't sell the actual PCs on which its Java Desktop System product runs.

But HP at present has something IBM and Sun lack: it sells more PCs than any other company. HP's Linux PCs indicate the company judges that the open-source operating system is a serious enough business prospect to stand alongside Windows, which dominates the market.

The new Asian machines are available immediately in Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, HP said.

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