Ubuntu Software Center to offer install-free application test drives

Sure, installing and removing applications in Ubuntu is a breeze -- tools like Synaptic, apt-get, and the Ubuntu Software Center are all very easy to use. Canonical thinks there's room for improvement, however, and it's delivering an interesting new feature to the Software Center: application test drives.

Find a program you'd like to try out -- but don't necessarily want to install just yet -- and click the test drive button. With the qtnx package installed and your Internet connection at the ready, the program will "buffer" and then launch, giving you an install-free look at what it can do.

Check the video after the break to see Software Center test drives of AbiWord and Chromium in action -- it really is quite slick. This feature, incidentally, will make its debut in Ubuntu 11.04, which is due to be released next month.

Tags: apps, canonical, linux, program, programs, software center, SoftwareCenter, test, test drive, TestDrive, ubuntu