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Dell has begun selling laptops and personal computers pre-installed with Linux software - the free operating system that aims to challenge Microsoft's Windows platform.
The decision is a breakthrough for enthusiasts of Linux, the most popular variant of open-source software. Unlike proprietary software, open-source software lets developers share code and add functions, and users only pay for custom features, maintenance and technical support.
And in a boost for a software company based in London, Dell has chosen to use a version of Linux called Ubuntu, which was developed by the South African millionaire Mark Shuttleworth and his UK company Canonical.
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