The Windows Subsystem for Linux is now open source

#1

Post by pentagrama » Mon, May 19, 2025, 4:14 PM UTC

The Windows Subsystem for Linux is now open source
blogs.windows.com

Re: The Windows Subsystem for Linux is now open source

#2

Post by pjmlp » Mon, May 19, 2025, 4:42 PM UTC

Given the layoffs round from last week, in a record earnings year, I wonder if this is a side effect of those layoffs.

Re: The Windows Subsystem for Linux is now open source

#3

Post by gjvc » Mon, May 19, 2025, 4:44 PM UTC

microsoft open sourcing a lot of things lately

Re: The Windows Subsystem for Linux is now open source

#4

Post by 90s_dev » Mon, May 19, 2025, 4:45 PM UTC

pjmlp wrote: post #2

Given the layoffs round from last week, in a record earnings year, I wonder if this is a side effect of those layoffs.

Unless they're just flat out lying, no:

> This is the result of a multiyear effort to prepare for this

Re: The Windows Subsystem for Linux is now open source

#5

Post by jayd16 » Mon, May 19, 2025, 4:45 PM UTC

pjmlp wrote: post #2

Given the layoffs round from last week, in a record earnings year, I wonder if this is a side effect of those layoffs.

Can't help but be pessimistic about this or any news coming out of Build, given the circumstances.

Re: The Windows Subsystem for Linux is now open source

#6

Post by candiddevmike » Mon, May 19, 2025, 4:57 PM UTC

Can I use a vanilla kernel with it yet?

Re: The Windows Subsystem for Linux is now open source

#7

Post by elif » Mon, May 19, 2025, 4:58 PM UTC

Every time I praise WSL on hn I pay the karma tax but I will die on this hill. WSL is more powerful than Linux because of how easy it is to run multiple OS on the same computer simultaneously. It's as powerful as Linux with some janky custom local docker wrappers for device support, local storage mapping, and network mapping. Except it's not janky at all. It's an absolute delight to use, out of the box, on a desktop or laptop, with no configuration required.

Edit: for clarity, by "multiple OS" I mean multiple Linux versions. Like if one project has a dependency on Ubuntu22 and another is easier with Ubuntu24. You don't have to stress "do I update my OS?"

Re: The Windows Subsystem for Linux is now open source

#8

Post by behnamoh » Mon, May 19, 2025, 5:02 PM UTC

meanwhile Apple won't even make it easy to boot Asahi Linux on Apple Silicon.

Re: The Windows Subsystem for Linux is now open source

#9

Post by hobs » Mon, May 19, 2025, 5:02 PM UTC

elif wrote: post #7

Every time I praise WSL on hn I pay the karma tax but I will die on this hill. WSL is more powerful than Linux because of how easy it is to run multiple OS on the same computer simultaneously. It's as powerful as Linux with some janky custom local docker wrappers for device support, local storage mapping, and network mapping. Except it's not janky at all. It's an absolute delight to use, out of the box, on a desktop…

And yet when I reboot my computer windows has shown me an entirely new place I can see ads - this week it was my lock screen.

So I left - I am willing to do more work to be spied on less, to be used as a product less, and to fight with my computer about who owns it less.

Re: The Windows Subsystem for Linux is now open source

#10

Post by trey-jones » Mon, May 19, 2025, 5:03 PM UTC

elif wrote: post #7

Every time I praise WSL on hn I pay the karma tax but I will die on this hill. WSL is more powerful than Linux because of how easy it is to run multiple OS on the same computer simultaneously. It's as powerful as Linux with some janky custom local docker wrappers for device support, local storage mapping, and network mapping. Except it's not janky at all. It's an absolute delight to use, out of the box, on a desktop…

Well, I'd still rather just use linux, but I take your meaning.