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GWSL: Run graphical Linux apps in WSL

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Re: GWSL: Run graphical Linux apps in WSL

#31

Anyone have experience with this? The only thing I miss from a Linux Desktop is https://sw.kovidgoyal.net/kitty/ but it requires direct access to GPU as I understand. Anyone tried kitty with this?

VcXsrv with SSH forwarding can work quite well in my experience. It also supports OpenGL so it is worth giving a shot.

Re: GWSL: Run graphical Linux apps in WSL

#32

Here is a technet thread where Microsoft's brightest (including yours truly) discuss how to do this using a vxserver. https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-dev-appconsul...

That's how I do it- mostly to run urxvt.

Off-Topic: I'm setting up a new machine, and wondering whether I should use WSL 1 or 2 (or both?). Is there a clear path forward for these systems? WSL 1 has served me pretty well. Most of the inter-filesystem interaction amounts to using rsync to back up directories. Otherwise it's just sshing into servers. I use virtualbox for off-line development.

Re: GWSL: Run graphical Linux apps in WSL

#33
post #2

VcXsrv and a bashrc to set DISPLAY= automatically did it for me export DISPLAY=$(route -n | grep UG | head -n1 | awk '{print $2}'):0 and on the Windows side, start VcXsrv with the 'Disable Access Control' combo box checked. this will enable X clients from other hosts (WSL is another host, basically) to connect to the server without too much hassle. that's it.

We have a guide for it in microsoft/vscode: https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/wiki/Selfhosting-on-Wind...

Re: GWSL: Run graphical Linux apps in WSL

#35

Both Windows and Mac OS run Linux apps better than Linux does now. No greater testament to the humiliating defeat of open source than this.

Mac OS is the evolution of NeXTSTEP, so that is easily done anyway.

Windows, well Microsoft did a big mistake of never managing the POSIX subsystem in a proper way.

Linux took off thanks to GPL, BSD ongoing legal problems at the time, and Microsoft just doing the basic regarding POSIX support on Windows.

Re: GWSL: Run graphical Linux apps in WSL

#36
post #4

Isn't it officially coming anyway from Microsoft - https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/19/21263377/microsoft-window...

This will be a game changer if they flesh it out. Imagine Linux apps right alongside your windows apps with their own icons and everything.

Windows Terminal + Visual Studio Code + WSL2 is the bee's knees.

Re: GWSL: Run graphical Linux apps in WSL

#39
post #32

Here is a technet thread where Microsoft's brightest (including yours truly) discuss how to do this using a vxserver. https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-dev-appconsul...

That's how I do it- mostly to run urxvt. Off-Topic: I'm setting up a new machine, and wondering whether I should use WSL 1 or 2 (or both?). Is there a clear path forward for these systems? WSL 1 has served me pretty well. Most of the inter-filesystem interaction amounts to using rsync to back up directories. Otherwise it's just sshing into servers. I use virtualbox for off-line development.

> That's how I do it- mostly to run urxvt.

> Off-Topic: I'm setting up a new machine, and wondering whether I should use WSL 1 or 2 (or both?). Is there a clear path forward for these systems? WSL 1 has served me pretty well. Most of the inter-filesystem interaction amounts to using rsync to back up directories. Otherwise it's just sshing into servers. I use virtualbox for off-line development.

I would recommend wsl2 for sure.

Re: GWSL: Run graphical Linux apps in WSL

#40
post #16
post #2

VcXsrv and a bashrc to set DISPLAY= automatically did it for me export DISPLAY=$(route -n | grep UG | head -n1 | awk '{print $2}'):0 and on the Windows side, start VcXsrv with the 'Disable Access Control' combo box checked. this will enable X clients from other hosts (WSL is another host, basically) to connect to the server without too much hassle. that's it.

> Disable Access Control This was terrible advice back in the 90s and still is. An attacker anywhere on the network can listen to your input devices, insert fake keypresses, view your screen, etc. Basically a total system compromise. All without log entries. The correct way to do this is to use MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE. One the client host: $ xauth -extract - $DISPLAY Then copy the output. On the host running the X server: $…

Instruction unclear: on the host running the X server, I get

  PS C:\Users\user> _
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