This came and went as a trend. Linux as a default for those who didn't want to pay for OEM Windows was frequent in smaller PC shops, especially back when you had to manually punch in a key. My memory of it is it went away once a) the modern activation scheme rolled out, and b) people stopped buying shop-made PCs in favor of prebuilts or custom builds.

And let me be clear, the idea was you got the PC with Linux to check that everything worked and you'd then proceed to install Windows on your own, either from a legit CD you owned or by pirating a key. Which I guess is in itself a measure of how much people around these parts overrepresent how much the average normie cares about "official support".

A few laptop houses do still ship Linux as an option, but that's more of a statement and meant to be used. And less frequent, too.