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GWSL: Run graphical Linux apps in WSL

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121–130 of 132 posts

Re: GWSL: Run graphical Linux apps in WSL

#123
post #117
post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's already possible to have other app stores than Play Store on Android, even simultanously. I think some features are reserved to Play Store in practice (to stores pre installed on the phone) so there could be some improvement on this point.

Google also currently prevents OEMs from installing competitors' stores by threatening to withhold access to Google's services. This is one of the points in Epic's lawsuit.

Um.... Samsung phones come with Samsung store...in usa..and have google services on them just fine...

There is also a web frontend for it: https://www.samsung.com/us/apps/galaxy-store/

Re: GWSL: Run graphical Linux apps in WSL

#124
post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

WSL1 was more or less the reverse-equivalent of WINE as I understood it, more or less a translation layer for a subset of syscalls, the approach is awfully limited from the get go. Not sure how using a VHDX or partition would solve that. We'd be back to square one, with things like containers being unusable again.

> Not sure how using a VHDX or partition would solve that The problem with WSL1 is limited to disk IO performance, because the compatibility layer that's easy to do with system calls isn't so easy to do with the filesystem. > We'd be back to square one, with things like containers being unusable again. It's complementary. WSL2 when you play with containers, WSL1 when you don't. Personally, I don't bother with contain…

Ah, different usecases then. I pretty much tend to go containers from A-Z for anything non-trivial, thus WSL1 was more or less useless for me. IO is also a big problem, just running a simple git status on a bigger project is a PITA.

Re: GWSL: Run graphical Linux apps in WSL

#125
post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Until they allow USB passthrough (which is more or less blocked by the fact that Hyper-V itself doesn't seem to have the feature), a whole bunch of my use cases are basically barred from WSL2. Shame, cause otherwise I really, really enjoyed using it - coming from a guy who's been on Linux for 99% of his time for ~15 years at this point.

I managed to get usb pass through working the other day for the serial monitor on a development board, they may have updated since last you tried.

Re: GWSL: Run graphical Linux apps in WSL

#126
post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In what way do Windows and Mac run Linux software better than Linux?

Windows lets you run Linux apps at the same speed as raw metal Linux, but with good drivers for things like video cards, wifi, etc. Windows also gives you access to a more diverse selection of its own apps so you can get your day job done. As for Macs, you get nearly the same benefits as that but now you also get access to the best hardware money can buy, from the cpu right up. I'm sure Linux will be ported to Apple…

Yikes, do you mean Windows Subsystem for Linux? I really appreciate MS folks putting in the effort to try something new, but WSL is close to worthless. I tried it a while back and could not get basic services to work. And why would you want Windows OS around if you just want to run Linux?

Re: GWSL: Run graphical Linux apps in WSL

#127
post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, except for the timekeeping problem (there are workarounds but they're annoying) and the significant networking issues (no bidirectional port forwarding so "localhost:8080" doesn't work with server in WSL and DISPLAY=:0.0 doesn't work with server on Windows).

Also if you connect to a VPN (like your corporate VPN using Cisco Anyconnect), you lose connectivity within WSL2... WSL is nice to have and a million times better than DOS/Powershell but it's not at Linux/Mac terminal level yet.

Having used UNIX since Xenix was introduced to me in 1993, I rather keep using Powershell, thanks.

Re: GWSL: Run graphical Linux apps in WSL

#128
post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Microsoft has already pivoted before. First was change from DOS based Windows to NT Kernel based Windows. Then again to Longhorn kernel based Windows.

The switch from from DOS-based Windows to NT took place over many years: development started in 1989, the first release was in 1993 and the switch only really completed in 2001 when Windows XP was released, which was the first NT release targetted at consumers. That's well over a decade. Microsoft bet a huge amount of resources on NT because they could see that DOS was never going to work on in the long term, especia…

Actually there were a couple of other reboots, but staying on the same NT kernel model, one being the kernel refactoring around Windows 7 release, and during Windows 10 it got the capabilities of split personality with secure kernel, driver guard and ability to run containers directly on top of Hyper-V.

Re: GWSL: Run graphical Linux apps in WSL

#129
post #82

When will Windows Linux happen? I genuinely don't understand the point of Windows as it exists anymore. * Games are developed on cross platform engines. I can't remember the last game I played that was Windows-exclusive. * Business apps work in the browser or Electron, or are otherwise cross-platform. Things that aren't, could work with emulation * Developers are using unix-like operating systems, and MS has leaned h…

Microsoft Office is much better than the competition (including both LibreOffice and web apps like Google Docs). It's a great shame to say, but if I'm really honest with myself it's clear reality. Using Windows sucks, but Office is seriously so much better than everything else that it's worth it.

What do you like that’s not available elsewhere? I only know about Excel being irreplaceable for some.

Re: GWSL: Run graphical Linux apps in WSL

#130
post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the question is "is there something technical preventing Microsoft from pivoting to a *nix kernel instead of NT" the answer is "no, and there hasn't been for at least 20 years - if ever".

Microsoft has already pivoted before. First was change from DOS based Windows to NT Kernel based Windows. Then again to Longhorn kernel based Windows.

Not to mention a Unix (Xenix) used to be one of Microsoft's main products.
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