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Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI

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Re: Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI

#321

Post by Jnr »

tlamponi wrote: post #300
Jnr wrote: post #286

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 yo…

> The problem with Ubuntu is - when it releases their latest version, it is already shipping a couple years old software versions. That is quite a dramatic take and simply not true. It maybe fits somewhat for Debian Stable (that has a freeze of 4 to 6 months), but Ubuntu bases off Debian Unstable (sid) and sid is very close to the Arch experience - I know because I use both a lot . Granted, Ubuntu adds a bit of a del…

Debian used to be my main desktop distro 10 years ago, but I switched to Archlinux because for me personally Debian reqired too much work after packages got broken (I was on testing or unstable, don’t remember anymore), and it happened too frequently. And also Archlinux AUR was very powerful with no good alternatives on Debian at that time.

I still have some servers running Debian but I have migrated most to Ubuntu because of much simpler upgrade procedures between stable versions (basically I have enabled automatic upgrades with auto reboot on all of them).

I am an enthusiast but I like to have things running smoothly and even with Arch being rolling release, it has been working smoother for me than in my time prior with Debian.

Maybe it is because of the excellent documentation on Arch wiki, maybe it comes with experience. All of this is subjective anyway.

Re: Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI

#322

Post by p0d »

I've been using linux for 20 years and my one frustration is missing Powerpoint. I recently joined the world of education and they are Powerpoint mad. Hats off to LibreOffice but Powerpoints look like they have been dragged through a hedge backwards. Is anyone solving this problem on linux locally or maybe wsl is the way for me to go?

Re: Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI

#323

Post by raman162 »

apatheticonion wrote: post #305

I love WSL1. With WSL2 and the move to Hyper-V, I just decided to drop WSL and manage my own VM manually. I use the remote development tools on VSCode that power WSL to make everything feel like it's running on the host directly, just like WSL2. This way I don't have any confusion born from it pretending not to be a VM. No issues with network port mappings, dns stuff, who owns what binary and how does it execute? Whe…

What's missing from the Linux Desktop experience for you?

I currently use all three operating systems on a weekly basis, Ubuntu with i3 (a window tiling manager) is my daily driver. Everytime I switch to windows or Mac os, it always feels like a downgrade for me because I can't replicate the tiling experience. The one thing I love about mac, is the trackpad experience, I wish windows and Linux could get to that level.

Re: Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI

#324

Post by apatheticonion »

dgan wrote: post #310
apatheticonion wrote: post #305

I love WSL1. With WSL2 and the move to Hyper-V, I just decided to drop WSL and manage my own VM manually. I use the remote development tools on VSCode that power WSL to make everything feel like it's running on the host directly, just like WSL2. This way I don't have any confusion born from it pretending not to be a VM. No issues with network port mappings, dns stuff, who owns what binary and how does it execute? Whe…

I don't understand claims "desktop experience is not there yet". What do you even need so specific? Care to explain? I tend to think it's more of people's problem at that point than linux desktop experience problem

It's not _functionally_ problematic, just aesthetically.

Mostly it's just that I never go a full day without performing some kind of maintenance on my Linux desktop environment to try to get it looking right, and it never looks right.

I also run multiple monitors, so that aspect tends to throw in some extra jank.

At this point, running Gnome completely unmodified has been the most success I have had - but even Gnome 40 has some questionable design decisions.

Windows is a poor example of polish but I feel there's a lot we can learn from by looking at MacOS's desktop environment. Having used each for significant amounts of time (years) and currently living on Windows, MacOS really takes the prize for the "nicest place to live but worst landlord".

Re: Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI

#326

Post by SCdF »

wyldfire wrote: post #38
lowtto wrote: post #11

WSL2 is essentially just.. Windows + Linux. I tried it and it is awesome. Cannot wait to see further progress that comes out of this. I really cannot leave Windows to be honest. The network effect is too strong. Coupled with recent Microsoft effort such as Visual Code, its looking like they are doing nothing but going towards the better direction than the old days. Who would have thought. Would you believe it if anyo…

> I really cannot leave Windows to be honest. The network effect is too strong. I suspect whatever's keeping you on Windows isn't really the network effect. It's usually: comfort level/personal preference, or a set of software that vendor(s) can't/won't port to another non-Windows platform. The fact that so many applications have been rewritten as browser-accessible services has liberated me. I haven't owned a system…

> or a set of software that vendor(s) can't/won't port to another non-Windows platform.

Is that not the network effect? I.e. everyone uses Windows so developers target their software for Windows, so everyone uses Windows?

Re: Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI

#327

Post by zerocount »

Stratoscope wrote: post #244
reilly3000 wrote: post #31

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…

Nice setup. I prefer one large monitor over dual displays and a desktop over a laptop. I just don't have any use for the small laptop screen and keep it closed most of the time.

Re: Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI

#328

Post by hughrr »

raman162 wrote: post #323
apatheticonion wrote: post #305

I love WSL1. With WSL2 and the move to Hyper-V, I just decided to drop WSL and manage my own VM manually. I use the remote development tools on VSCode that power WSL to make everything feel like it's running on the host directly, just like WSL2. This way I don't have any confusion born from it pretending not to be a VM. No issues with network port mappings, dns stuff, who owns what binary and how does it execute? Whe…

What's missing from the Linux Desktop experience for you? I currently use all three operating systems on a weekly basis, Ubuntu with i3 (a window tiling manager) is my daily driver. Everytime I switch to windows or Mac os, it always feels like a downgrade for me because I can't replicate the tiling experience. The one thing I love about mac, is the trackpad experience, I wish windows and Linux could get to that level…

For me, reliability. Literally I have to futz with it so often. I moved from a Mac recently to a T495 thinkpad with Radeon in it which is supposedly fully supported by Ubuntu. Turns out that depends on what day of the week it is. Constant GPU problems.

I have considered switching back to windows.

Re: Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI

#329

Post by sz4kerto »

dboreham wrote: post #226
dirkg wrote: post #174

I'd love to use WSL2 but the longstanding issue with slow I/O between WSL NTFS host is a dealbreaker. It basically means you have to keep all your data inside ext4 in Linux and that defeats the whole point - e.g. you can't keep your code, or files you download etc in Windows. With WSL you can keep all data in NTFS, have near native speeds but you can't run a bunch of Linux cmdline tools. I don't know if they can solv…

I thought I'd have that problem but I just keep all my dev files in WSL2 now and I stopped using Intellij. VSCode has very fast WSL2 filesystem remoting.

Try IntelliJ Projector. It's awesome.

Re: Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI

#330

Post by morrbo »

raman162 wrote: post #323
apatheticonion wrote: post #305

I love WSL1. With WSL2 and the move to Hyper-V, I just decided to drop WSL and manage my own VM manually. I use the remote development tools on VSCode that power WSL to make everything feel like it's running on the host directly, just like WSL2. This way I don't have any confusion born from it pretending not to be a VM. No issues with network port mappings, dns stuff, who owns what binary and how does it execute? Whe…

What's missing from the Linux Desktop experience for you? I currently use all three operating systems on a weekly basis, Ubuntu with i3 (a window tiling manager) is my daily driver. Everytime I switch to windows or Mac os, it always feels like a downgrade for me because I can't replicate the tiling experience. The one thing I love about mac, is the trackpad experience, I wish windows and Linux could get to that level…

It's funny you mention tiling because honestly one of the biggest things preventing me from moving to linux full time is the lack of any decent window manager like https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/fancyzone... where I can arbitrarily draw/resize zones and drag and drop/snap windows on to them. Every window manager I've used in Linux, and gnome extension, all try and force you to have non resizable areas, areas of equal proportions, don't support snapping etc. And needed serious foo for moving a window about. If anyone has any suggestions I'd love to hear it
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