If you would like to try out Linux without installing it - and are willing to pay $9.95 (£6.05) a month plus connection charges - now you can.

US company Workspot has set up a website which provides a Linux account.

For the monthly fee users get the full Red Hat 8.0 version of Linux with desktop applications and 100MB of storage accessible through a Java-enabled browser.

From the Linux desktop users can surf the web, send and receive email and launch applications. But a broadband connection is needed to get usable performance which, along with other costs, may lessen the attraction.

Potential users may wonder about the benefits of Linux over the web. Workspot suggested that it could be a Linux learning or teaching tool, while mobile users can upload and download files for offline review.

It could be used for testing, as there is no installation or separate software to be purchased.

It also contains a feature for making one desktop available to multiple users for web-based collaboration. A desktop share function enables the session initiator to decide who has access.

Among the software is OpenOffice, for word processing, spreadsheets, project management and diagrams, and Ximian Evolution to provide email, calendar, groupware and contact manager. Documentation is available at the Workspot site.

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