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Testing the Windows Subsystem for Linux

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Re: Testing the Windows Subsystem for Linux

#61

Post by 2bitencryption »

ac29 wrote: post #57
2muchcoffeeman wrote: post #40

Does anyone use this for work? Could I replace Ubuntu with Windows now?

That's a bit loaded, but I'll attempt to answer seriously: Can you replace Ubuntu? Maybe, if you are OK with 14.04 LTS level support. Certain simple things straight up don't work -- you can't send a ping without an admin level windows shell (sudo wont do it either). You also won't magically get driver support for hardware that works in Linux, but not Windows (if you think this isn't a thing, try plugging in a random…

WSL is now on 16.04, not 14.04 anymore.

Re: Testing the Windows Subsystem for Linux

#62

Post by microtonal »

ac29 wrote: post #57
2muchcoffeeman wrote: post #40

Does anyone use this for work? Could I replace Ubuntu with Windows now?

That's a bit loaded, but I'll attempt to answer seriously: Can you replace Ubuntu? Maybe, if you are OK with 14.04 LTS level support. Certain simple things straight up don't work -- you can't send a ping without an admin level windows shell (sudo wont do it either). You also won't magically get driver support for hardware that works in Linux, but not Windows (if you think this isn't a thing, try plugging in a random…

Can you replace Ubuntu? Maybe, if you are OK with 14.04 LTS level support.

The latest Creators update uses 16.04 LTS.

you can't send a ping without an admin level windows shell

The latest Creators update supports ping as a non-admin.

---

I would say that for most usages it is a good replacement for vanilla Ubuntu. Microsoft is quickly closing the gaps in support. Most stuff simply works (albeit disk filesystem I/O is still a bit slow). For instance, I used it to compile packages for Ubuntu 16.04 and upload it to a PPA without much trouble. At the time the only change I had to make was using fakeroot-tcp rather than regular fakeroot. But maybe that is fixed now.

It is especially useful if you like to work in a Unix, but also need Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, or other applications that are not available on Linux.

Re: Testing the Windows Subsystem for Linux

#64

Post by ac29 »

microtonal wrote: post #62
ac29 wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's a bit loaded, but I'll attempt to answer seriously: Can you replace Ubuntu? Maybe, if you are OK with 14.04 LTS level support. Certain simple things straight up don't work -- you can't send a ping without an admin level windows shell (sudo wont do it either). You also won't magically get driver support for hardware that works in Linux, but not Windows (if you think this isn't a thing, try plugging in a random…

Can you replace Ubuntu? Maybe, if you are OK with 14.04 LTS level support. The latest Creators update uses 16.04 LTS. you can't send a ping without an admin level windows shell The latest Creators update supports ping as a non-admin. --- I would say that for most usages it is a good replacement for vanilla Ubuntu. Microsoft is quickly closing the gaps in support. Most stuff simply works (albeit disk filesystem I/O is…

> The latest Creators update uses 16.04 LTS.

I did know that, but the update only came out today AFAIK, and is being slow-rolled out (I checked all my Windows machines today, none updated). People with enterprise/business versions of Windows with "Defer feature upgrades" aka "Current branch for Business" enabled also wont get it for a while. I know how to force the update, but forcing Windows updates is something I've learned better than to do.

As an aside, I would highly reccomend WSL users check out wsltty[0]. Gives a better terminal than Windows' built-in 'cmd', with options to open other shells like fish/zsh/etc in arbitrary directories.

[0]https://github.com/mintty/wsltty

Re: Testing the Windows Subsystem for Linux

#65

Post by azinman2 »

abrowne wrote: post #21
radarsat1 wrote: post #19

I like the idea of the Linux Test Project. Neat. I'm curious, does the WSL actually use any parts of Linux under the hood, or is it just an emulation of the user space, like Cygwin?

It uses a Linux-compatible kernel interface with no Linux kernel code plus Ubuntu's userland. I guess that's why they sometimes call it Bash on Windows. I'm surprised no one's proposed "Windows Subsystem for GNU".

Because the main bit is translating Linux syscalls to windows. Which isn't gnu.

Re: Testing the Windows Subsystem for Linux

#66

Post by ulber »

codebook wrote: post #52

I gave up WSL after experiencing significant performance drop on GHC, Stackage. It was less than 1/10th of native for compiling Haskell code.

Here's the issue on GitHub if you'd like to track it: https://github.com/Microsoft/BashOnWindows/issues/1671

benhills describes the cause:

For some context, I've looked at what causes this slowdown. For some reason stack has mapped an mind-bogglingly huge region of memory (I'm talking dozens of terabytes). When we fork we walk the entire address range to set up the new process's state. We have a design that should vastly speed this up, but we're approaching "pencils down" date for Creators Update.

Re: Testing the Windows Subsystem for Linux

#67

Post by dingo_bat »

SwellJoe wrote: post #53
2muchcoffeeman wrote: post #40

Does anyone use this for work? Could I replace Ubuntu with Windows now?

I used it for a while, when Fedora 24 refused to work reliably on my 4k laptop (it worked under 23, and now works again under 25). It was OK. I mean, it's an amazing feat of engineering, but there's a ton of little (and not so little) quirks that made it painful. Sharing files across the two systems was (maybe still is?) disastrous. I've heard of total Linux system corruption, but I personally had files disappear (th…

> There are good terminals

Can you name some good ones? I am sick of putty/cygwin :(

Re: Testing the Windows Subsystem for Linux

#68

Post by 2muchcoffeeman »

ac29 wrote: post #57
2muchcoffeeman wrote: post #40

Does anyone use this for work? Could I replace Ubuntu with Windows now?

That's a bit loaded, but I'll attempt to answer seriously: Can you replace Ubuntu? Maybe, if you are OK with 14.04 LTS level support. Certain simple things straight up don't work -- you can't send a ping without an admin level windows shell (sudo wont do it either). You also won't magically get driver support for hardware that works in Linux, but not Windows (if you think this isn't a thing, try plugging in a random…

>That's a bit loaded, but I'll attempt to answer seriously:

Fair enough. I specifically mean, can I replace Ubuntu for development work?

Can I use apt-get to install various tools? Does docker work better? That sort of stuff.

Re: Testing the Windows Subsystem for Linux

#69

Post by sgift »

badminton1 wrote: post #55
ape4 wrote: post #2

I still have a hard time with bash-backwards name: "Windows Subsystem for Linux". Its a Linux subsystem for Windows.

Whatever name is better than "Bash for Windows", the worst possible name and the least tech-savvy way of describing what is going on. A real embarrassment. They justify their choice saying they had a survey where the most popular option was Bash for Windows. Well, surveys also led to a boat called Boaty McBoatface...

> Boaty McBoatface

A glorious name and a perfect example that surveys are a good idea. So - what's your point?

Re: Testing the Windows Subsystem for Linux

#70

Post by LinuxFreedom »

Clownshoesms wrote: post #63

Is there telemetry built into this too? I'd worry about ssh logins being logged for diagnostic and privacy journey purposes.

You will see ads on your command prompt from time to time and the bash completion will contain "sensible recommendations" based on your general behavior, psychological state and political orientation.

Now that everything was published they also plan to pre-install the diverse arsenal of hacking tools on every machine, as there is no reason now anymore to hide that stuff - what will make the fight for freedom much easier for everyone involved!

To support your patriotism there will now be a personal statement of all past MS CEOs showing up on startup and the national anthem playing to support your emotions.

Also from time to time a screensaver will show the sentence "Everybody adores you, because you belong to a global hacker elite using the Windows operating system in 2017! Ignore that laughter around you!"

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