We’ve already seen major PC vendors like Dell and Lenovo offering machines pre-loaded with Linux Stateside but if recent speculation is true, the biggest vendor of them all might be about to enter the Linux retail space: in line with previous rumors, it looks like HP is seriously considering selling machines preloaded with Linux in the U.S. According to Ars Technica, “it is a ‘real possibility’ that HP will counter Dell’s limited embrace of Linux ‘sooner rather than later,'” as long as the company’s Linux pilot program in Australia proceeds as planned. Currently, the company is offering a limited number of machines preloaded with Red Hat Linux, OpenOffice.org, and Firefox down under–no word yet whether we can expect the same sort of package for “U.S. Americans”.

For more on the rumor:
– see this Ars Technica article