Dell has signed an agreement with Canonical to offer the Ubuntu Linux distribution on selected consumer desktop and notebook computers. 

The agreement marks the first time that a major PC maker will start shipping mainstream consumer PCs with the open source operating system.

Linux has been available on workstations for the professional market. Some computer makers have also been offering computers without a pre-installed operating system, allowing users to install their own software.

Dell's decision was driven by its IdeaStorm website launched earlier this year. The site allows customers to submit suggestions and lets other users vote for those that they support.

The top ranking suggestion recommended that Dell introduced Linux systems.  

Dell committed to introducing Linux computers in March, but had yet to settle on a particular distribution. The company also promised increased support for the Linux kernel and open drivers for its computers.  

"With the results of Dell's IdeaStorm, it seemed that there was sufficient critical mass for the idea to take the next step and turn those discussions into a project," Mark Shuttleworth, founder of Canonical, said in a video posted on Dell's website.

Desktop Linux is mostly limited to emerging economies, but Shuttleworth argued that consumers in developed nations are increasingly waking up to the benefits of the open source operating system.

Ubuntu is a popular desktop Linux distribution based on Debian and is known for its ease of use. Canonical acts as the corporate sponsor for the software, providing developer and marketing resources.