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Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI

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Re: Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI

#281
post #219
post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> even on the same NTFS filesystem can you explain a bit how this works?

I think they use extended attributes in NTFS to provide the Linux file system permission. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/file-permission...

That was WSL v1. WSL v2 is a full blown VM and the filesystem is native ext4 and lives in an image file.

Re: Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI

#282

One could run Linux and use Wine to run some Windows apps. On the other hand one can run Windows and use WSL to run some Linux apps. Depending on the individual's needs which apps are important to have access to the decision could go either way. This is why Microsoft is investing in projects like this - to tip the scales and lure more users to run Windows as primary OS. P.S. And then there is Google which wants you n…

With WSL v2 , you can run Windows and all Linux apps.

WSL v1 had limitations but WSL v2 is a VM -- a more integrated VM than usual but still.

Re: Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI

#283
post #247
post #186

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Microsoft is building the dev environment for the next decade. Big claim, most devs I've met either use Mac or Ubuntu. Can't remember anyone using Windows...

Mac is a small slice of the software engineer market, and mostly in the web-app/mobile space.

every single FAANG (and many middle tier companies too) distributes macbook pros to its devs.

Re: Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI

#284

I wonder what Linux exclusive software they are hoping to support. Everything I use in my Ubuntu daily driver has a Windows build or corollary app. I get how ‘you never have to leave Windows’ is a nice thing for their business, but I don’t see this being a reason I would stop dual-booting. The only reason I run windows in the first place is for a few apps, mostly games. Otherwise I really enjoy the bloat-free, ad-fre…

Even though our dev environment at work is Ubuntu, I greatly prefer running Windows on my ThinkPad X1 Extreme, because of the superior hardware support for the devices I use. Specifically: • I spend a fair amount of time on Zoom calls (who doesn't?), and I like to use my Apple AirPods so I can move around while we talk. I was never was able to get these or any other Bluetooth headset to work on Ubuntu. They pair only…

Ubuntu by default pairs Bluetooth headsets as A2DP, which has higher quality for music but no mic-support. You have to go in to Ubuntu bluetooth sound settings and change the output device to headset mode every god damn time you turn on the headset. And then toggle it back to A2DP if you want to listen to music again. I don't know how Windows or iOS deals with this but there both modes seem to work seamlessly.

Re: Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI

#285

That seems like a very complex architecture. RDP client and server? That seems like a strange approach for a single machine solution.

It's because WSL2 abandoned the initial goals of WSL1 and just did a VM instead. I wish MS continued evolving WSL1 instead of doing the VM approach but c'est la vie.

From what I recall, an MS engineer explained why they gave up on WSL1 as being intractable issues with the way Windows and Linux interact with the filesystem, leading to major, unfixable performance issues.

Re: Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI

#286

I wonder what Linux exclusive software they are hoping to support. Everything I use in my Ubuntu daily driver has a Windows build or corollary app. I get how ‘you never have to leave Windows’ is a nice thing for their business, but I don’t see this being a reason I would stop dual-booting. The only reason I run windows in the first place is for a few apps, mostly games. Otherwise I really enjoy the bloat-free, ad-fre…

Even though our dev environment at work is Ubuntu, I greatly prefer running Windows on my ThinkPad X1 Extreme, because of the superior hardware support for the devices I use. Specifically: • I spend a fair amount of time on Zoom calls (who doesn't?), and I like to use my Apple AirPods so I can move around while we talk. I was never was able to get these or any other Bluetooth headset to work on Ubuntu. They pair only…

Bluetooth headsets (I have Bose) and automatic input switching works with pipewire, fractional scaling with different settings for each monitor works with Wayland.

I am using it on Archlinux without any problems whatsoever.

The problem with Ubuntu is - when it releases their latest version, it is already shipping a couple years old software versions.

And for pipewire, wayland, mesa and other desktop related things you want to run the latest version at all times. This is one of the major reasons why Valve chose Archlinux as a base for their new SteamOS version for Steam Deck.

Re: Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI

#287

One could run Linux and use Wine to run some Windows apps. On the other hand one can run Windows and use WSL to run some Linux apps. Depending on the individual's needs which apps are important to have access to the decision could go either way. This is why Microsoft is investing in projects like this - to tip the scales and lure more users to run Windows as primary OS. P.S. And then there is Google which wants you n…

or just download Virtual Box or the free VMware Player. If you're on Linux, running Windows in "Unity" mode is already about as seamless as WSL2 w/ GUI appears to be.

This. Been using seamless mode on virtualbox for a decade(s)?, have a full terminal on windows, and now i can run vscode in my linux vm while in a windows desktop. I just use mate and with hide buttons on the panel enabled.

WSL1 with Windows Terminal works good for now quick youtube-dl's, WSL2 needs hyper-v, so kinda deal breaker for me as a virtualbox user.

Re: Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI

#288
post #197

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder how many people who rely on Linux have truly moved to WSL? I gave it a try and I find real Linux vastly superior. Hybrid Windows+WSL apps, what is the point? Developing Windows apps with .NET is very easy and pleasant. Don't get me wrong, I agree we should be concerned about WSL. But I think it's also very possible Microsoft recognizes developers that aren't developing with MS tech (ie anything but .NET thes…

I'd believe their target isn't users who are already using Linux, but users who will be using Linux for first time going forward. Think all the university students who made Linux the system to develop on will now make Linux on Windows as that system. Eventually, WSL will take over baremetal Linux because it was more convenient to get started, technical superiority notwithstanding.

I've been a Linux user since 1995 and run Windows + WSL2 on my desktop machines. It's not too deep and pretty similar to why so many folks were drawn to Macs; a no brains just works GUI with the ability to launch a terminal and do real work on a UNIX-like system.

I can use a single machine to do everything I need, without rebooting and without making sacrifices.

I can watch Netflix and play games, without needing to write a f'n shell script to fix the screen tearing present in the nvidia driver - or realizing a particular game has quirks or doesn't work in Proton, so I just have to throw up my arms and say "Well, I guess we just don't play that game".

I can pop open a terminal anytime and have access to a real Linux system, as opposed to the faux "uncanny valley linux" solutions like Cygwin and Git Bash that seem to work until they don't. And unlike a traditional VM there's no management involved; I open the terminal when I need it and close it when i'm done, just like a normal application.

Re: Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI

#289
post #284

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even though our dev environment at work is Ubuntu, I greatly prefer running Windows on my ThinkPad X1 Extreme, because of the superior hardware support for the devices I use. Specifically: • I spend a fair amount of time on Zoom calls (who doesn't?), and I like to use my Apple AirPods so I can move around while we talk. I was never was able to get these or any other Bluetooth headset to work on Ubuntu. They pair only…

Ubuntu by default pairs Bluetooth headsets as A2DP, which has higher quality for music but no mic-support. You have to go in to Ubuntu bluetooth sound settings and change the output device to headset mode every god damn time you turn on the headset. And then toggle it back to A2DP if you want to listen to music again. I don't know how Windows or iOS deals with this but there both modes seem to work seamlessly.

Pipewire can switch to headset mode automatically whenever a microphone input is needed. And it switches it back to headphone mode afterwards. It works on Linux exactly like on a phone or macOS. Pipewire is backwards compatible with Pulseaudio so there is no reason to not migrate.

Re: Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI

#290

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> • I run the external displays at 200% scaling and the internal at 300% to match the differing pixel density. I didn't see any way to support this configuration in Ubuntu, much less be able to move an app window between displays and have it automatically update its scaling factor to match the display. This works "out of the box" in Windows. This works if you use Wayland rather than X11. I'm using a similar configura…

However, the X1 Extreme has an Nvidia GPU.

Since June Nvidia proprietary driver supports KMS and Wayland. So fractional scaling with Nvidia should work now.
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