Canonical distributes Parallels via desktop update
Canonical, the commercial sponsor of the popular Ubuntu Linux distribution, will on Thursday begin making commercial applications available to Ubuntu users directly through the desktop, in a step designed to simplify software installation.
The company is making Parallels Workstation for Linux available to users via the operating system’s built-in software update tool, using a feature called the Ubuntu Partner Repository. Parallels Workstation allows users to run Windows and Linux simultaneously on a single system.
The deal marks the first time Canonical has distributed commercial software through the repository, which has in the past only distributed free and open-source software. Because of the inherent diversity in Linux distributions, software installation can be a serious stumbling block for inexperienced desktop users of the sort that Ubuntu is designed for.
