Linux is one of those things that most general PC users stay clear of because traditionally it has been viewed as intimidating to setup and use especially when it comes to installing external components.

However, did you know that you can enjoy all the benefits of a Linux environment without installing it courtesy of Ulteo? Ulteo is a virtual desktop that allows you to run Linux applications in a Windows environment. You’ll have to sign-up for an Ulteo account to synchronise data stored on your hard drive with Ulteo but once done, it’s a surprisingly powerful and useful way to run Linux without installing it. Ulteo comes preinstalled with all the major tools you need to work and surf the internet and is intended as a replacement for Windows. Amongst the packages you receive are Firefox, OpenOffice (that can now work with MS Office 2007 and 2008 documents), KPdf to deal with your PDF documents, Kopete (a cross-client instant messenger), Skype, Thunderbird, Enigmail, Gimp and Digikam to manage your pictures and Inkscape and Scribus to create great graphics and DTP projects. It’s a genuinely exciting package filled with open source applications that are easy to use and won’t bug you with ads or registration requests.

For anyone that divides their time regularly between Linux and Windows, this tool will speed up your productivity significantly.